Love has its harsh ways
by Smiling Eyes
Summary: This is the story about Hebe and Herakles. They were both a bit of outsiders at Olympos. And their unexpected love grew strong in the shadows. But did they dare to come forward with it into the light. Did they dare to confront the other gods and say "here we are - and we're in love"? FINISHED!
1. Prologues

**Love has its harsh ways**

_They were both a bit of outsiders at Olympos. Both of them 'accidents'. None of them really expected to have been around. Yet they were, and in the beautiful and peril world of the gods, where survival of the fittest was as applicable as in the jungle, the two of them found that they had more in common than being outsiders. And their unexpected love grew strong in the shadows. But did they dare to come forward with it into the light. Did they dare to confront the other gods and say "here we are - and we're in love"? _

_This is the story about Hebe and Herakles. We all know Herakles' labours and how he ascended to Olympos after his heroic life on Earth. And there he met and fell in love with Hebe - his old arch enemy Hera's daughter. But how did that happen and what reactions did it trigger among the gods? The myths do not tell, so here is my own try at that story. _

**Prologue 1 - Zeus and Alkmene**

At first glance she could have sworn it was Amphitryon standing there over at the bar. After all he had the same kind of broad shoulders, the same kind of healthy and thick, blond locks falling down his brawny back. And he too wore a long, worn and black leather cloak. Yet upon a closer inspection Alkmene noted that this stranger was taller than the husband who had left her so abruptly to go off to war for more than two years ago. Since then there had been no words of Amphitryon. No one seemed to know where he had gone, what he had done, to be true Alkmene didn't even know if he was alive or not, and it grated at her heart. She missed him so much, his enchanting smile, his joyous eyes, his strong, calloused hands, his furry beard, his corny jokes...

On top of that she didn't want to end up a childless widow with no one to take care of her when she got old. No one to miss her when she left this life. She wanted a child; she wanted to hold a baby in her arms. She wanted to look into the eyes of new life. And most of all she wanted her husband back. She wanted Amphitryon; she wanted him so bad that she kept seeing him everywhere these days it seemed. Including among the strangers in her own brother's bar.

Swallowing hard Alkmene walked the few steps up to Ludon who was serving wine to the blond stranger, his jet-black curls hanging in his eyes as usual, making him look like a rascal boy more than a skilled business man. Ludon greeted her with a broad smile, he was always happy to see his sister and it was not often she came down here to the village pub these days. In fact Alkmene had become withdrawn, a bit of a recluse since her husband had left two years back. And it shown upon her face, how much she missed him, or at least missed any kind of news about what could have happened to Amphitryon. Ludon didn't ask, he just poured her a cup of wine. If Allie wanted to talk she would eventually. Instead he leant his elbows on the counter and simply enquired about her well being and assured in return that all was fine with him and his young family of wife and expected child.

Alkmene dared a peek at the blond man in the corner of her eye. He had a noble profile, like a royalty and carried himself with the same grace too. And he looked physically powerful and vigorous. Up close there was not that much resembling of her husband, save for the strong, lithe body and the blond locks. This man was younger, paler in complexion and Alkmene had to admit to herself that he looked a tad better than Amphitryon did.

His stance was calm, restful; still there was something dangerous about him. Not hostile but rather a strong awareness of his surroundings, a remarkable source of power resting within him like with a relaxed predator, an alpha lion ready to move at any second. He emitted authority even in this composed state, and Alkmene knew instinctively that this stranger was no one you picked trouble with. He held great powers and he knew how to use them. But what was a man like him doing here? In this backwater village, far away from all kind of battles he seemed like being made for partaking in? What tides had brought him here? To Ludon's bar, which usually only received merchant foreigners, people arriving here to buy crop or sell trinkets. Alkmene felt something stir in her belly at those thoughts. Wonder, bemusement, distraction!

Next thing the stranger was turning his head only so slightly, looking at her. Checking her out, she could tell. And although she tried not to, she glanced back. He smiled slightly at her, acknowledging her, and she noted yet another difference to her husband. While Amphitryon had brown deer eyes this man's eyes were as blue as a spring sky. He smiled at her, while saying hello and Alkmene replied with the same words. Suddenly she had introduced herself, even told she was the sister of the bar owner and that she tried to come here at least once a week.

The stranger replied by holding out a large hand:  
>"I'm Caradon, a pleassure to meet you, Alkmene."<br>"Where you from?" she couldn't help asking. His accent was different, slightly Thessalian but with another lilt to it as well. A cadence speaking of far off shores, distant cities. As if this man had travelled around quite a bit, picking up tidbits of language sounds all over the place.  
>"From Crete originally," Caradon replied. "Although I don't live there anymore these days."<p>

That was it, Crete she thought, then the rest was easy enough for her to dare a guess:  
>"You're living in Thessaly now, right? The Eastern parts?"<br>"You're observant, Alkmene, how d'you guess?"  
>"I heard it. Those 'r's are typical Eastern Thessalian ones. I used to go there a lot when I was younger. I had friends there and I met…" she suddenly finished, for some reason she didn't want to tell Caradon about her husband, the man she had not heard about for so long. Instead she enquired:<p>

"And what do you do? What brings you here; you're a merchant of some kind?"  
>"You might say that, yes."<br>"So what's your business?"  
>"Ideas."<br>"Ideas? That sounds…"  
>"Strange, I know. Let's just say I collect and gather new ideas, and then I make use of them within line of work."<br>"Your - line of work... What do you do if I may ask?"  
>"I am what you might call an executive. Although of quite a different kind than a businessman, a military general or a monarch. Although a bit of all these things as well. And a bit of researcher and philosopher as well. As such I am able to give advices to all those categories to make things happen when I want them to happen. To spin the world in my desired direction. To be able to do so I have to go out in the world and see what the little people are saying as well as the kings and then generals. Thus I come to places like this."<p>

"That seems like..." Alkmene gasped. "Amazing. I never knew there was such a profession. What do you call yourself?"  
>"That depends on where I go, who I meet."<br>"Depends? Honestly, Caradon, the way you carry yourself - you appear like one of the eternal gods, and the things you talk about - they appear above mere mortal business to me. Or at least like something associated with the gods. So who are you really?"  
>"That's a bit of a secret - for the time being. Let me just assure you that my business here is good natured and slightly bordering on a pleassure stroll as well."<br>"You're full of secrets, Caradon!"  
>"Yes, that is part of my line of work. At least when I come to places like this, where I go to learn more than anything else. Because then I don't want people to really know what I'm looking for and adjust for that. I want things to come to me naturally, things said to me naturally."<p>

"But how come you tell me these things then?"  
>"Because you seem honest, Alkmene."<br>"Why, thank you!" Over in the corner she could see Ludon looking at her, obviously pleased that she had found someone to chat with and that she was enjoying herself. "You've been in the war against the Thracians?" she asked. Hoping perhaps there was an ever so slight chance that this Caradon had met her husband. A chance she didn't dare to miss. But no, further enquiries turned up fruitless, Caradon had not met an Amphitryon, and he said that this was a big war, with a lot of men marching and fighting, coming from all over Greece and then some places.  
>"They're even enlisting Amazon tribes these days, to fill in their ranks."<br>"Amazons? I thought they were too proud to fight side by side with the Greeks."  
>"They used to be. But they have encountered bad times, with failed harvests, plagues and dying life stock and they need the money the Greeks are paying for mercenaries."<p>

Caradon had told a lot more about the war and other things and meanwhile time flew. Suddenly Ludon was standing next to them:  
>"I'm sorry, sis, but I have to close down the bar. Laetizia wants me home by now. Caradon, if you want to rent that room on the upper floor, it's still available."<br>"Great!" the big man replied. "I'll take it; I'm just going to walk this beautiful lady home."  
>"That's very noble of you!" Alkmene couldn't help blushing.<p>

For once she wished the path up to her little house had been a bit longer, because she really liked talking with this man, and there was a lot she felt like she wanted to say to him before they parted - probably for good. He reminded her so much of Amphitryon, same delight in reasoning, same interest in people and human behaviour and same little tidbits of knowledge to share. Like what made the fireflies glow and that the Moon seen from Earth appeared to have the exact same size as the Sun. Yet too soon they were outside her house and Alkmene began to bid her good nights. But Caradon silenced her with a sudden kiss.  
>"Oh… I don't really..." Blushing she backed off, but Caradon smiled and laid his large hands around her back.<p>

"Didn't I tell you I was married? Sure I did…"  
>"Yes, and that he's off in the war. Been gone for years! I can feel how lonely you are, I can sense it in my whole being. How you just need someone to hold, how you wish for it so hard lying alone there in your big bed in the dark of the nights. Freezing within your soul. You need someone, and so do I. So if I can give you that, if we can exchange that, if just for a night let us do it, sweetheart! You deserve it for enduring so long in your loneliness. "<p>

It made so much sense the things he was saying, yet Alkmene felt hesitant. It wasn't right against Amphitryon, was it? Yet how would he ever know? What if he never came back, then she would regret that she had never taken this chance which might most probably never appear again. Besides, Caradon was right, she sure needed someone. If just for a night, what bad could come out of that? She had just had her bleeding, so there was no risk for a pregnancy. Too early in the monthly circle. She felt tears burn beneath the eyelids at the thought about how right he was, how his words had hit right into her heart.

Caradon took her chin in his big hand, made her look up in his deep blue eyes, and in spite of the dark night Alkmene could see all those vibrant emotions there and she found it impossible to resist him.  
>"But no one can know it! My brother will ask questions; after all he'll know that you won't take that room."<br>"He won't sweetheart," Caradon promised her.  
>"How can you…"<br>"Let's say I have my methods."

Alkmene just sighed and then she caved in. She let this handsome, blond stranger return to kissing her lips. She let him run his hands across her back and she let him lift her up and carry her to the doorstep where she picked the key out of the purse and opened up the door to the cold, empty house. She didn't bother with lighting any lamps, after all she knew this place by heart now, where everything were and there was nothing she would bump into anymore. And for some reason Caradon didn't seem to have any problems with the dark either. It was almost as if he had night vision, like some owl.

She let him follow her to the very bedroom she shared with her husband. Had shared, when he had been around. Now he was lost, nowhere near. So what harm could it really do if she spent one night, one single night with a stranger? If she shared her warmth with someone. No one would ever know.

Alkmene swept the covers off the bed, she let Caradon kiss her, let him undo her soft, lavender silk dress and make it slid down her slender hips and fall down on the cold floor with a whisper of thin textile. She let him kiss her neck, her breasts and her slightly convex belly. And then she let him lift her up into the bed and continue his teasing, leaned over her while she moaned with a pleasure she hadn't felt since Amphitryon left. Or no, she had never felt such pleasure. Amphitryon had always been horny and in a hurry, never really bothering with fore play. So different from this man, this Caradon who took his time, teased and pleased her, warmed her up, made her beyond ready.

He stopped for a second to relieve himself of his coat, his pants and his shirt, it all happened very quickly and then he was naked, sliding down next to her in the bed, his form warm and hard, turning her on even more. He went back to her body with his hands, teased her and played around. Started using his tongue as well, making her moan with pleasure, making her wish for it to never ever stop. As well as she wished him to hurry, to come inside her. Tenderly he separated her loins, but instead of entering with his member he surprised her by using his hand, using a finger to touch her flower, to price it open and to slide inside, feeling for what he knew was inside. That knob, that trigger of ultimate pleasure. He stroke it gently, made her react with her whole body, made her shiver and arc her back as she came for the first time, against his sensitive fingers.  
>"Caradon, please!" she moaned. "I can't take it anymore. I want you to come inside! I want… please! "<p>

He chuckled with a husky voice:  
>"Don't be so impatient, milady. I want you to remember this night as much as I will do." Alkmene could only moan with bliss in return. Oh, this man was so sweat, he was just too much for one woman! Then she kissed him on his neck, felt the warmth of his ticking pulse beneath her trembling lips, the velvety softness of his skin - how could a man be so soft?<p>

He evoked tremendous feelings within her. Vibrant desires she had though dead since long. Passions which had been but embers were now flaming again, a roaring fire in her belly, a fire of yearning, of need and desire. And the only thing to slake that fire was to give in to this man so totally that nothing else mattered. Alkmene wanted Caradon with such a passion that it almost scared her; she wanted him like she had never wanted anything else in her entire life...

In that instance he removed his hand down there and with a gasp he entered her using his member, pushing, probing himself deep inside of her. Filling her up and making her almost scream out his name. At that moment Alkmene had forgotten everything about Amphitryon and whatever else mattered in her life. At that moment the only thing real was her ecstasy and this divine lover.

**Prologue 2 - Hera and Elderon**

_In the myths Hebe's birth certificate holds a 'father unknown' status. I felt sorry for the little goddess because of that, so for this story I invented Elderon.  
>Auxesia is a nature goddess without parental background, I made her a daughter of Zeus and Hera in my story, to explain her part in further development. <em>

The goddess Hera stood by the large elm, hidden for every mortal eye, regarding the playing toddler rolling around in the grass with his half a year older cousin, laughing out loud, while their nanny looked upon them with a watchful eye. The little lad sure looked suspicious, with those blond locks and big aquamarine eyes. He definitely looked like one of her husband's bastards, mortal as he was nevertheless. And Hera wondered… She wrinkled her brow and bit her lower lip as she stroked the rugged surface of the treetrunk with her slender hands, borrowing strenth from the elm, the strenght to endure, to face the possibility of another treachery.

It wasn't the first time her husband would have betrayed her, far from it. And every time he had promised… Hera remembered all his 'never again's as an endless procession, like Ares' hoplites, and she felt a heavy lump in her throat and salty tears sting her dark eyes as she regarded the little ones. How could he be so false, so full of deceive. What was it he searched for, what was it this mortal woman could provide with that she, Hera, failed to give? Sure, Zeus's and her sex life was a far cry from what it once had been. Where there used to be sparkles and flares, magic and delight was just a little bit of lukewarm affection these days. Like cinders where there had been a roaring fire. Faith, they didn't even share bedroom anymore. So there was many a night when Hera wasn't even sure if Zeus stayed at home or not.

But was it her fault? She wasn't sure; she couldn't even remember when they had started to drift apart. When they had stopped caring for each other the way they once had. It had come very slowly, too slowly for at least her to even notice - until it had become too late. Hera felt she missed that sensation in her chest that used to manifest itself when she thought about her husband. She didn't feel that warm happiness anymore, she just felt… emptiness. Void. Sadness and loneliness.

Now all she wanted to know was if this toddler, this one year old Herakles was a son of her Zeus. And if so… what? Hera chewed her lover lip trying to figure out what she would do with this knowledge if she found out. If anything. Confront Zeus? No, he would only shrug. Laugh perhaps. And say his usual remarks:

"What does it matter to you, Hera? Have you cared about me recently? I mean for real and not just for some absent minded sex." Or "You too are free to go out there and play with any men you fancy if you so should desire. Why should I care?"

Yeah, why should any of them care anymore? Their marriage was just a political construction these days. The only reason for her to stay with him was because she was Queen of the Gods, and she had duties as a queen. Things she needed and wanted to do. She guessed everyone else knew it these days too. That her and Zeus' marriage had withered away to become just a business relation. They were colleagues these days, she and Zeus, not lovers. Just like it once had been. Before…

=O=O=O=O=

A sudden change in the surrounding woke Hera out of her reverie, a movement in the grass. Just a shadow first, then a slithering form. A - snake! No, there were two of them. Gray-green serpents advancing quickly trough the grass, heading for somewhere, on a path where the small boys were in their way. And the others hadn't even noticed the threat yet. The nanny seemed to have dozed off in her chair and the children were chasing each other around a boulder, oblivious to their surroundings, the way only children can become when they get caught up in a game.

Then it all happened very fast. Hera heard the older boy, dark haired Eurysteus; scream out loud, he had seen the snakes. She saw Herakles turn around, and now he too saw them.  
>"Mama!" Eurysteus was crying out loud and the nanny stirred, rose and came running, but stopping dead at the sight of the two serpents which had surrounded the boys. She froze, became paralyzed.<p>

But before Hera could react, little Herakles had taken first one snake and then the other by the neck so they couldn't bite him, and then he smashed them against the boulder, crushing their sculls. Killing them. The boy had acted unbelievably fast and accurate, and thus Hera knew. Herakles sure was the son of Zeus. No mortal could perform such a thing at that age – to be true, very few gods either! The Sighted had been right about this little toddler. At this realization the tears came for real, Hera couldn't hold them back anymore. She had been betrayed yet another time. Rejected, ridiculed. And now she knew what she had to do.

However Hera missed one important thing in her despair. She forgot to stay hidden while taking off in the sky. And down on the ground the 17 year old nanny looked up at the departing goddess, recognizing her.  
>"Hera," she whispered. "Hera! Did she just curse or bless those children? Was it because Alkmene named her son after the goddess, she came here? Did she send those snakes?"<p>

=O=O=O=O=

It started out as a plan for sweet revenge. Hera packed her bags and went off on a holiday at the end of the Solstice Month. Once she and Zeus had used to take these holidays together, going away for months sometimes and finding desolate beaches for lovemaking and endless talking, spending romantic moments watching sunsets and full moons. Whatever that had been decades and decades ago. Not since the year before the birth of their daughter Auxesia had Hera and Zeus travelled together like that. And that was almost fifty years ago now. Fifty years since Zeus let Athena and Apollo sit in for him as rulers while he went away with Hera, giving strict orders that no one was to disturb them.

This time Hera travelled on her own. She journeyed across the Aegean to the coast of Anatolia and the lush rural areas outside the town of Smyrna. Of all places, Hera had no idea why she went there, it was just it was just something happening on a whim. She guessed she was just looking for a quiet place where she could be alone and think. Anyhow it was there she met this bulky god with curly red hair and green eyes filled with laugher. Elderon. He had no idea who she was; she kept her identity very secret, called herself Vinona and made up a story about being from Mycenae. Although she found that Elderon was a great-great grandson of the exiled Titan Atlas and that he was a healer god who worked with keeping animals healthy. A god people prayed to, to prevent anything from happening to their horses, pets or cattle.

Hera had found Elderon in a meadow where he was resting not far from his horse, a chestnut coloured stallion of the most noble kind. Half asleep after a meal the god looked both vulnerable and strong with his squarey cheek and his long red hair radiating out in the grass around his head. She had sat down next to him, almost startling him. And he had smiled at her, beamed like a sun actually.  
>"It's not often beautiful goddesses come here, not many bother with old Elderon."<br>"Really? But you're magnificent. You should walk the palaces of Olympos."  
>"Olympos? Naaah! I'm a bit too rustic for that place, milady..."<br>"Vinona."  
>"Hello Vinona," he held out a broad, freckled hand. "I'm Elderon."<p>

She knew that already although she refrained from saying it. Instead she started to ask about him, about his work and as a consequence giving him very few chances to enquire on her. Hera had never been good at lying, never been good at making up false stories. Instead she just let others talk if she had something to hide. Talking about themselves made most people, gods as well as mortals, forget about the questions they might want to ask.

Later on Elderon had taken his bow and quiver and they had gone off into the forest where he had shot some pheasants. Then, with the help of some herbs and summer fruits they had made a simple but delicious dinner. She had brought wine so they didn't have to thirst either. Hera realized that she didn't need any golden plates and fancy table settings to enjoy a meal. A nice company was very much enough. She noticed that she had almost forgotten what it was like to have a picnic sitting on a blanket beneath a tree on a little hill and watching the wonders of nature spill out in front of them as the sun was sliding down the sky in the west, turning orange and colouring the pastures in the same hues.

They didn't make love the first night; Hera was after all not the horny kind like her husband. She wasn't desperate for sex, she just wanted some company, she just wanted to talk with someone who was not from Olympos, someone who didn't know her and who didn't worry about pissing off the mighty Queen of the Gods. Someone who saw her as just another goddess on an adventure far from home and duties, and who cared more about that brown-eyed woman than the position she held. Hera delighted in this refreshing exchange of ideas more than anything else. The kind of company that made her alleviate her mind of old thoughts which had got stuck on repeat and to think in new ways, see things from another perspective. That was exactly what Elderon gave her. Thus they had just talked and talked until they both fell asleep next to each other, Hera curled up almost in foetal position, wrapped up in her woollen blanket.

The second day they went for a longer walk in the woods, talking about the animals they saw. Birds and little squirrels, larger beasts like wild boars and deer. Tiny insects and spiders, the latter weaving intricate nets where attached drops of dew still gleamed like precious gems in the rays of the midmorning sun. They bathed in a little lake and Hera noted that Elderon had a fine body, although not as lithe as strong as Zeus'. But Zeus was exceptional, why did she expect him to be content with her, who was far from perfect with her too long legs, deep voice and boring colours. He could have anyone, why would he be satisfied with her? No, Hera corrected herself, she was considered beautiful, it was only her bad self esteem playing tricks with her mind. Her husband's problem must be of another concern.

Then she forced the thoughts of Zeus out of her mind and decided to live in the present. Here and now with Elderon who seemed to appreciate her for who she was, not for the position she held or clinging to memories of a long gone passion. Elderon, Hera discovered, was a 'now' man, very much living in the present, hardly mentioning past events or future dreams. What mattered for him was what he and Hera were doing together right at the moment, and that was what filled his mind and his joyful eyes.

So she swam with him, they played around in the water like kids, splashing at each other and laughing. And later they rested in the emerald grass by the pond; let the warm sun dry their bodies before they got dressed again. That evening they dined on game once more. A hare this time. They finished the last of Hera's wine, drank it to the last drip, letting the beverage smooth their thoughts, lull any anxiety that might linger. Finally - under the starlit sky - they had made love; it had been more or less inevitable because of the strong connection they felt.

It was the first time in six full centuries Hera had made love to another man than Zeus. Felt someone else's naked body against hers. It had been fulfilling in a radically different way. Elderon had been faster, roguer and at the same time slightly shy. His smell and texture had been different; he was hairier and not as wiry. He hadn't been as large or enduring as Zeus, but he had let her take the lead in a way her husband never did. Zeus had always been the director, the driver. Elderon had let her obtain control with her fingers and lips. And when he came he had grunted and huffed almost like a bull. There had been a rawness to him that felt like a novelty after the accustomed refinement of her husband.

Later, when Elderon had fallen asleep, Hera got up, swept her cloak around her naked shoulders and took a few steps away. She sat down in the grass which was turning wet with night dew. The balmy darkness was filled with little sounds around her. Crickets and frogs. A hunting owl calling out somewhere. The white noise from the rapids of the river a bit away down in the valley. Fireflies were dancing and the moon was coming up behind the treetops, it was a few days after being full and it looked like a battered orange.

Hera was wondering a bit about her feelings. She felt more pleased than she had in a long time. More fulfilled. Yet, there was something missing. She didn't know what, but there was something within her which felt incomplete. She was satisfied in her body but not in her soul. And she felt - guilt. In spite of all the times Zeus had done the same to her she felt like she had hurt him, damaged what they had. For so long she had fought to stay faithful to her husband, and to the woes she herself had once dictated, when she had founded the institution of marriage. For so long she had tried to show that she was better than him. That she could be reliable and loyal even when Zeus had wavered in his devotion. No one should be able to point her finger at Hera and say: 'Look at her, she invented marriage, and not even she can live up to its standards. So why should we?'

For so long Hera had lived by that rule. For so long she had refused to give Zeus the benefit of saying 'Look who's talking'. But Herakles had been the grain to tip the proverbial scale, the last strain to break - if not her back so her strong will. She had finally caved in and begun to play the game Zeus had been playing for ages. The game of deceive and betrayal. Glory of Hera - what an irony, she saw no glory in this at all, only shame and ignominy.

She had drunk from the chalice of revenge, and its taste was not sweet the way she had expected, it was bitter, curling her lips and tongue. Once again tears blurred her eyes. She so wished it had been different. That a lot of things had been different. And she didn't know for what time in order she regretted even marrying Zeus. But the tears dried off and with a sigh she went back to Elderon and lay down next to him, resting her head against his warm chest. Why not doing this for real, Hera thought; why not finish what she had started once and for all? There was no turning back now anyhow.

=O=O=O=O=

"Forget it, Zeus!" Hera said, still with her back against him. She was looking out through the large window while absent minded stroking the cold marble of the parapet. The city of Argos was lying below her in the pale, gray autumn light. Her Argos, her most beloved city. Her home! The sun was playing hide and seek among large, fluffy clouds, glittering upon the gilded roofs when it came out, and a strong wind was making flags and banners flutter from spires on the top of towers and cupolas. This was her place in the world, the place where she felt as strongest and most independent.

"Why?" Zeus said, taking a step closer, she could felt the warmth of his body against her back, even if he didn't touch her. His woice was warm and mellow, filled with confusion and worry. And unexpected tenderness. "We're still officially married, even if we live separated at the moment."  
>"And that moment is supposed to last," Hera replied with a stern voice, refusing to let him hear the pain hidden behind the armour of steel she had covered her soul with. "Because I intend to stay queen, I intend to use my position to make the things I want to happen. I don't want to hand it over to some bimbo who mess it all up. It wouldn't benefit you either, Zeus."<p>

"Honey, you and I..."  
>"Used to have the greatest of marriages, used to share the most fantastic love, I know those words from you, Zeus. I've heard them so many times before. And I'm sick of them. I'm sick of hearing your promises and woes and knowing that you'll break them as soon as you lay your eyes on some big-boobed slut stripping off her chiton. I'm sick of meaning so little to you, Zeus, that you think you can go wherever you want, do whatever you want and with whoever you want without even caring a second about how I might possibly feel about it. There's nothing you can possibly say this time to make me change my mind."<p>

Zeus didn't reply immediately. Instead he took that last step towards her, and touched a lock of her dark brown hair with his large right hand, stroking her rosy cheek ever so slightly. And Hera felt the pain in her chest at that contact, the pain of admitting to herself how she longed for more of the kind. From Zeus, not from anyone else.  
>"Go away!" she whispered, unable to bear it.<p>

"No." He said firmly. "I am not going away. Don't deny yourself your true feelings."  
>"They are not anymore." she lied. "You killed them."<br>"It's not true, Hera. I can feel it in your aura. I know you so well, I know those tiny aural sparks. I know how you want me now. I know..."

"NO!" angered she turned around and backed off, feeling the back of her loins hitting the banister. "No, I am not. I am finished with you and your games, husband. If you think you know me so well, Zeus, then you ought to see why too."  
>"What do you mean?"<br>"I'm pregnant, Zeus. I am pregnant with another man's child."


	2. Little Hebe

**Little Hebe**

_Thanks to my readers for feedback and love_

_The goddesses Karpo, Auxesia and Pasithea are some less well known goddesses who sometimes have been mentioned as daughters of Hera, but without any father stated. It was probably Zeus anyhow so in my story I matter-of-fact made them into Zeus' dauthers. _

O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O

The little girl was standing on top of the stairs, holding on to the ornate wooden banister while listening to her mother and her Stepfather down there in their private living room. The Stepfather scared her, he was always so large and majestic, with a rumbling, thundering voice giving orders everybody was running their feet off to obey. The Stepfather ruled the world with a strong, firm hand and he let no one cross his plans. Those who did were in for some nasty surprises, so much the girl knew.

Now her mother and the Stepfather was arguing about some king named Dakrian in some faraway land, talking about soldiers, scary tools of war and about big brother Ares doing something stupid.  
>"You will have to rein him in, Hera," the Stepfather was saying. "Either that or I'll have to go get him myself. Or even send Athena, and she won't play nice with him this time. She's still furious for what he did in Rhodos. And she wouldn't spare a single arrow against his forces."<br>"Ares knows what he's doing," her mother replied. "He's just not playing an obvious game. Because if he did, even those stupid Persians would understand what's going on and where we're intending to move our forces. And while you're mentioning Athena, I'm sure she'd seen through his plot and can explain it to both of us. After all she's definitely the one who knows Ares' stratagems better than anyone after all those endless war games these two have been playing."

They had gone on like that for a while, and then suddenly their voices had changed. Instead of arguing they had sounded that strange again, like grownups sometimes did. The Stepfather had said:  
>"Oh, Hera, my disobedient one, what am I going to do with you? Should I chain you to the ceiling beam, and tie your feet to an anvil?"<br>"So you're in to kinky-kinky now you horny satyr?" her mother had replied with a bizarre laughter in her voice.

But the girl had got tears in her eyes and ran into her room, returning to her bed and pulling the cover over her head. She sure didn't want the Stepfather to chain her poor mother and hang her from the ceiling. But there was nothing she could do about it. Nothing at all.

=O=O=O=

Hera sat down on the bed beside her daughter. She felt warm and pleased after the love making, joyous and content in her soul and heart. Zeus had fallen asleep but she had been thirsty and had gone down to the private kitchen for some nectar. On the way back to their bedroom she had stopped by at Hebe's room, and sneaked in to her little daughter. The lass was sound asleep, thumb in her mouth and fluffy red swirls of hair surrounding her lovely face. Just like her father. Elderon, the healer god. In her mind she went over Zeus' words when he first had learned about her expected daughter. She had thought he'd be furious, and for the first time ever she had felt scared when looking at her husband.

Instead Zeus had just sighed and pushed a broad hand trough his unruly, blond curls, saying:

"I guess I deserve no better from you, Hera. Not after Herakles and all the rest of them. But it still does not change the fact that you and I belong together, my dearest other half. You've been taking my children under your wings for centuries even if I didn't…"  
>"Of course I did! Hermes, Dionysos, Persephone, Pandeia, Ersa - it wasn't their fault. They deserved better than being denied their father. Even if he was my husband."<br>"So why not letting me do the same, Hera? Let me adopt Hebe the way you did with Dionysos when Semele died! If there's anything I can do right, then let me do it! Please, Hera!" He had taken her hands in his at those words, holding them hard but without squeezing and there had actually been moist in his striking, blue eyes.

She had caved in then, teary-eyed as well. She had leaned her head against his strong and mighty chest, let him hold her like countless of times before; caress her when she had cried yet another time. Oh, what was becoming of her? Was the strong and mighty Hera turning into a crybaby?

Zeus had stayed true to his promise; he had adopted Hebe when she had arrived six months later. He had given her the same status in the household as any of their shared children, just like Hera had done when he had dragged in Hermes and Dionysos.

Between Hermes and Dionysos in age there were Pandia and Ersa, Selene's pale and beautiful daughters. They came and went in their father's house as if they owned it these days. As young women they had been painfully arrogant and haughty, annoying goddesses like Demeter, Artemis, Athena and Hestia to the bits. Although Hera has seen trough that façade, seen sad and lost girls who felt that their ephemeral moon goddess of a mother had given them less love than they deserved. And somehow Hera had managed to win their hearts and taught them a bit of behavior, explained to them that if they acted snotty and self-important they would never going to be liked and never make any friends anywhere. These days they had softened towards their surroundings and became more like her own daughters.

Persephone had been different, she had a mother who cared very much - perhaps a bit too much to be true, and then she had hardly been nineteen when she had ran off with Hades of all people and caused all the drama in the world to break out. A revolt against her overprotective mother Demeter, everyone had thought then and perhaps it had been from the start. But the relation of the odd couple had lasted against all odds.

"And you, my little dear," Hera had whispered to the sleeping child. "Where will you take your life? Who will you give your heart to? I hope that, one day when you get there, you'll give it to a less complicated man than my Zeus."

=O=O=O= 13 years later =O=O=O=

Hebe was sitting on a high chair in her brother Hephaestos' workshop talking to the older god who stood by his pulpit, sharing time and attention between work and little sister as if it was the most natural thing in the world. And for him it probably was, since he was used to always having a lot of things on his mind at the same time. He had been this way ever since he returned to Olympos from the Oceanids Thetis and Eurynome as a young man some 500 years ago. At that time Hephaestos had spent more than a century living with these Oceanids, learning a profession and a new way of life. These years had turned the son of Zeus and Hera from a careless slacker into a serious engineer and originator. Now Heph was inventing something as usual, sketching on a blueprint, and he didn't seem to care that Hebe was around chatting away. Sometimes Hebe got the feeling that her brother wasn't listening, but when she tested him by throwing some enquiries in his direction he had usually not only listened but also thought a step further in the matter.

Now he tucked his pen away behind his ear (he already had another pen tucked into his wound-up greasy hair, which he had probably forgotten about) and said:  
>"I know how it is. People fall in love like crazy, and then they soar high like eagles, believing they have invented the feeling. Believing they are the first ones ever in the whole wide world to feel this way. And they become lost to the world, living out their fantasy in their own little bubble of emotions. Then, one day, they snap out of it, and if they are not careful they lose the ability to let their wings of faith carry them and they come crashing down in a blaze of glory. And that fall can be hard. Hard and merciless. I know how it feels, sister dearest. It hurts! I could warn you about it. On the other hand to never have loved is to never have lived."<p>

"Do you think I can love like that?" Hebe asked her brother. Hephaestos didn't answer immediately; with a thoughtful look in his brown eyes he took another pen from his large collection, and put it to the blueprint, like he was going to start drawing again. Instead he hesitated and begun chewing at the back end of the pen. After a short moment he stopped and took the pen out again, regarded it as if it held valid answers and said:  
>"Of course you can, Hebe. And of course you will. You're a sweet sixteen, just an infant, dear. Rest assure you will love one day, perhaps not tomorrow or the year after but believe me you will! Just be a bit patient!"<p>

"You and Aphrodite…"  
>"Yeah I know," Heph sighed. "Perhaps it was a mistake, perhaps not, nevertheless it has been fun. Most of the time."<br>"Most of the time? I want more than 'most of the time', bro'."  
>"Then you'll have to fight for it, Hebe-li'l. Or get really friggin' lucky." Hephaestos stated and went back to drawing. But Hebe didn't want to drop the subject so yet.<br>"Heph," she insisted. "What about Ares?"

Hephaestos flinched, almost dropping his pen.  
>"The way he's going after my Aphrie you mean?" He sounded almost angered.<br>"Yes. I'm sorry, Heph, but I have to understand. To me it's like - sooo crazy the way she's married to you but is… is… - well, doing it with Ares all the time. Like she 'wants to have the cake and eat it' as mum use to say. I mean, I'm no expert, far from it. Don't claim to be but…" Hebe hesitated, searched for words and then she just shook her head at it.  
>"I know what you mean," Hephaestos cut her off, harsher than he meant to. "I could've done so much better. Ought to have. I had a wife before Aphrodite you know. Aglaia. She didn't betray me. Well, not like Aphrie. She was more like… She left me because I betrayed her. Not with another woman mind you, sis', but with my work. And perhaps that's what I do to Aphrie too. Betraying her with my work and in return she betrays me with Ares. What goes around comes around. That's also something mother says."<p>

"But it's not the same thing. The things she does, it's treachery. On quite another level. You shouldn't accept it so effortlessly. Besides, without your inventions we wouldn't have magnifying glasses or screwdrivers or scissors or spanners or clocks or windup toys or fountains or whistling kettles or abacuses or - well a lot of other fun and useful things you've created. While Ares has just made a lot of - well Eros. Not that I mind him, but he's not exactly a wind-up toy."

Hephaestos begun to laugh at that last comment.  
>"Are you sure he isn't? I mean have you looked beneath his jacket lately? Checked to make sure there's not any of those li'l keys inserted there in a hole in the small of his back? A wind-up key?"<br>"Well I admit - no." Hebe giggled at the picture appearing in her mind. "Still I…"

They got interrupted by a familiar voice booming from behind.  
>"Heph! Have you finished that crossbow thing yet? I'm going to need it!"<br>"Well speak of the Titan!" Heph huffed and turned to look at The God of War who entered the former's office with large strides, like always, blood red leather cloak bellowing behind him. He was munching on an apple. There was no one Hebe knew who ate as much as Ares. If he wasn't busy with some weapon or another, he was usually holding something edible, like a fruit, a sandwich or a drumstick of some beast. Still there wasn't a grain of fat upon his lithe, athletic body; she guessed he spent all those calories battling.  
>"Hello, Hebe," he said and ruffled her flaming red hair while he passed her. He too loved his little sister. After all Hebe was adorable, kindness herself, that was something most of the Olympians agreed upon.<p>

"Lay off my hair, Ar!" Hebe protested. Nevertheless she couldn't help smiling at her brother. He might be a big brute delighting in the clash of armor, in war, blood and death, but there was still something so incredibly charming about him, his gentlemanlike behaviour and his attention to honor and respect. In a way he was the complete opposite to Hephaestos she thought. While Heph was a laid-back and introvert stay-at-home boy, who loved to bury himself in hard, complicated work and strive for ingenious solutions, Ares was wild and outgoing, impatient and very physical. His temper was feral and fierce and he never stayed long in the same place. He was loud where Heph was timid, he was volatile while Heph was steady and he tended to run ahead without thinking while Heph always weighted the possibilities carefully before he acted.

Ares was not a creator but a destroyer. When people questioned that Zeus used to say that there could be no creations without destruction. While Hebe wasn't so sure she agreed upon that she certainly treasured both her elder brothers, each one in their own way. Now she regarded them, Heph had gone over to one of his large lockers and dragged out a strange gadget and started demonstrating it to Ares who looked on with an interesting shine in his brown eyes. To be true the eye colour was the only thing the two brothers shared.

The God of War was strong and handsome with dark curly hair usually tied back in a neat ponytail and a handsomely chiseled face with the same kind of full lips, high cheek bones and classic nose as his father. And somehow that grim war look had etched into his features over the centuries, always giving him a slightly dangerous appearance. Hephaestos on the other hand was more bulky than athletic, with a fleeing chin and stubby nose and he usually wore his light brown hair unkempt and tied back with whatever cloth he could find, no matter how ragged or dirty. He was also freckled all over and he laughed twice as much as Ares did.

Hebe had four sisters too, Eileithya, Pasithea, Auxesia and Karpo. Eileithya was a childbirth goddess whose father was a god Hera had loved during the Titan wars but broken up with later. Eileithya was so seldom at home that Hebe felt like she hardly knew her. Pasithea was a goddess of night magic and she was usually working with Hecate but she was much more friendly and accessible than the gloomy goddess of chaos magic. Finally Auxesia and Karpo who were garden goddesses working for Demeter. Hebe used to hang with them when she wanted to do girly things. At the same time she wasn't that found of gardening. She was too impatient and she didn't like to get dirt under her nails. She was in fact still looking for something to do. Something to become 'goddess off'. That seemed harder than one would imagine.

Her mother had been talking about sending Hebe to Eurynome and Thetis as well. After all they excelled in finding out every god and goddess' skills and beside Hephaestos they had taken care of both Dionysos and Eros when they wanted nothing serious out of their lives. Eros had returned home being a matchmaker like his mother, actually taking the business far more serious and Dion had learned to make wine. However, Hebe wasn't so sure she wanted something like that. She wanted to stay at Olympos. Pasithea had teased her, joking that she might end up as a waitress on the other gods. Just because she had helped poor, overworked Ganymedes from time to time. But that was something she had done since Ganymedes was her buddy. He might be what Ares called 'a fruitcake', but he was still a great guy, almost as good a listener as Hephaestos was. Then Hebe couldn't care less that Ganymedes preferred men and that there was an ongoing rumor that even Zeus had tried out 'the gay thing' together with him.

"Heph," she said and jumped down from the chair. "I have to go; I'm in for Athena's history class in a quarter of an hour." Ares looked up from the strange-looking weapon - a short and stubby bow of some kind - and said:  
>"Tell her she owe me a return game for yesterday outside Carthago."<br>"I will!" Hebe said, convinced that Athena already knew about it and was probably totally plotting for a defeat of Ares again.  
>"Carthago?" Hephaestos enquired. "What are you two up to there? And does dad know about it?"<br>"Long story," Ares said with a shrug. "And no, he does not, and it's best he will not." The last sentence had an edgy angle, as if Ares was warning Hephaestos against telling anyone about this Carthago business, whatever it was about.

Leaving the workshop Hebe figured that there might be some kind of war game again. Athena was almost as found of fighting as Ares and the two siblings were often playing around in some corner of the world or another, using mortals as game pieces. That wasn't really allowed but most of the time they got away with it because Athena was good at talking herself out of complicated situations.

=O=O=O=

Eight days later, Ares was the one who didn't get away. This time it wasn't about war though. It was all about Aphrodite - again! Turned out that Ares and Aphrodite had engaged in yet another tete-a-tete. And now Hephaestos had apparently become so sick of it that he decided to actually do something about it. Although he knew he couldn't fight over it, he wouldn't stand a chance against Ares! Very few did after all. So Hephaestos invented another ingenious thing instead - a trap. This trap consisted of a magifibre net, weights, tackles and a magic transmitter. Hepheastos mounted the creation in his and Aphrodite's bed and then he let all of Olympos know that he was going to Troy on some business, took his medium sized toolbox and left. He had even taken a bath to make it all believable.

Of course Aphrodite didn't suspect a thing, (She wasn't the brightest gem in the Olympic brain thrust after all, at least according to Hebe's very private list) instead she saw what she thought was her chance and lured the likewise unsuspecting Ares home for some horizontal entertainment. THAT was something she was good at after all; Hebe had to give her that! After all, Hebe had overheard most of the gods talk about Aphrodite's love making. And the majority of them seemed to be familiar with it as well, and that very much included Ares. So not surprisingly the seduction worked according to Aphrodite's plan - at least in the beginning. Some foreplay and then she and Ares headed for hers and Hephaestos' bed, unaware of the latter's preparation of the furniture.

So when the two enamored Olympians pulled off the bed covers and tumbled down upon the sheets they were in for a nasty surprise. Their combined weight (Aphrodite might've been petite but Ares weighed 330 pound of pure muscles) triggered Hephaestos' ingenious trap and the magifibre net fell down from the canopy and landed upon the two gods, snared them rapidly and unrelenting before lifting them up in the air, suspending them just beneath the canopy ceiling. And no matter how they tried, the magic wasn't yielding; Ares and Aphrodite were caught in the act - very literally.

At the same time the magic transmitter sent a signal to Hephaestos who actually was waiting down in a bar in the mortal town beneath Olympos. And quickly the god flew back home and had a good look at his game.  
>"Not even Artemis could've done that better," he mused. Then he called for all the Olympians to come and have a look at the snared lovebirds.<p>

And did they come! Hermes and Poseidon were first on location, and then came all the others. Dionysos, Helios, Eos, Selene, Hecate, Aeolos, Apollo, Zeus and Hera, Demeter and Hestia. Ganymedes, Eros and Pan. Nyx and Nemesis. Hypnos and Morpheus. The four winds and the three graces. All of the muses. Yes, even Selene's beloved Endymnion had managed to crawl out of bed and then it wasn't 3 'o clock in the afternoon. To say that Hephaestos and Aphrodite's bed chamber had become crowded was an understatement.

Hebe arrived together with Pasithea and first they didn't see a thing but divine backs, they just heard Ares' angered growls, Poseidon's mocking rumbles and some very very bad jokes coming from Hermes. Pasithea pushed herself trough, snaked herself between Asklepios and Iris and then she backed off with a:

"Gee, Heph! You're… Insanely outré!" Something that made Hebe even more curious to see what was going on. Quickly she rounded Priapos and caught eye of the trapped couple and at that sight she couldn't help doubling over with laughter. The two of them looked so hilarious in there, Ares fit with rage and Aphrodite upset - confused, and with her blond hair in complete disorder. And wasn't there a trace of heat too in those lavender eyes. Like the very event of being caught naked with a man like this actually turned her on!

The next moment a snarling Pasithea was pulling at Hebe and dragging her out of the room, in the wake of Demeter who was leaving too, snorting something untellable with an upset voice. Hebe managed to step on Eris' foot in the rush and the latter began calling her names, something Hebe didn't bother with the least. Eris was always calling people names so what else was not new.

Soon Pasithea had pushed Hebe before her out in the hallway where they encountered Athena and Artemis who of course also wanted to know what all the fuzz was about. Artemis still with little stains of blood from some game upon her cheek and forehead.  
>"You soooo don't really wanna see this!" Pasithea said and rolled her fudge-coloured eyes. Athena raised a brow and Pasithea explained it all.<br>"Dear faith, but I guess something like this was bound to happen." Artemis snorted. "Yeah, I'm really eager to see those dorks - not! I better go back finishing butching my deer." Then the goddess of hunt turned on a dime and marched down the hallway, her heels clicking against the marble floor.

Athena on the other chuckled a bit before she went in to the bedroom and had a look as well, although Hebe guessed the goddess of wisdom was more interested in the construction of the net than what game her half-brother had caught in it.  
>"Such a little slut she is!" Pasithea said as Athena dissapeared into the crowded bedroom.<br>"Aphrodite?"  
>"Who else?"<br>"How about Ares? Isn't he as much at fault here," Hebe reasoned.  
>"He's not married." Pasithea stated calmly and pushed back some dark-blond strains of hair which had escaped from her chignon.<br>"So what? He should have enough respect for Heph to not accept Aphrodite's invitations. I think his manners are even worse than hers!"

Pasithea suddenly looked annoyed:  
>"You're sixteen years old, what do you know?" she asked.<br>"Come on! I've got brains to think with, and I refuse to be verbally manhandled because I'm a bit chronologically challenged!"  
>"Athena taught you that?"<br>"Taught me what?"  
>"Slamming fancy words in the head of others?"<br>"Oh, come on, Pasi! You pulled me out of that room almost hurting my arm in the process and I can't begin to think of how many people we bumped, pushed or trampled in the process, and then _you_ are annoyed at _me_!"

"You shouldn't even see things like that," Hebe's older sister stated.  
>"And why are you the one to decide that?"<br>"Don't be so insolent!"  
>"Now who's the one with the fancy words here?"<br>"Hebe! Watch your mouth!"  
>"'Watch my mouth!' Me? Alas, big sister, you seem to have run out of arguments here, or you wouldn't be dropping clichés like goat spill."<br>"Hebe!"  
>"So whatcha gonna do?" Hebe mimicked the satyrian sloppy slang. "Go tell momma?"<p>

Pasithea just glared back, and then she turned and left, thundering down the stairs in Artemis' wake like an angered Zeus. Hebe leant against the wall with a sigh, feeling the cold marble somehow tempering her raging hot mind as it touched the back of her head. Had the world turned totally insane, she wondered as she placed her hands against the cold stone and watched Selene and Iris leave, both with strange looks upon their faces – as if they couldn't decide if to laugh or vomit. Posed like that Hebe speculated what it was with love that lured people into doing such ridiculous things. Normally sensible people. And if she was ever going to end up in that situation. She sure didn't want to get caught like Aphrodite, but she wanted more out of her life than what seemed to make women like Athena and Artemis content.

Nevertheless, if anyone thought the event with the net would have stopped Aphrodite from sleeping around they were wrong. As a matter of fact the goddess of love seemed to have forgotten the event just a week later. Yet Ares lost most of his interest in his sister in law after that embarrassing occurrence, which made Aphrodite set her eyes upon Hermes instead.


	3. Herakles and the unexpected

**Herakles and the unexpected**

_I changed the story of Herakles' mortal death slightly to have it fit better into my story. _

He couldn't help wondering what would have happened if it all had turned out different that day so long ago. If he hadn't agreed upon letting that idiot centaur Nessos give his beloved Deianeira a ride on his back over the perilous whitewaters of the river Euenos and if the centaur hadn't been both stupid and horny enough to try to rape his beloved. Nessos had barely reached the shore when he flung Deianeira down on the sandy shore and begin tearing at her peplos with his eager hands, not bothering with her cries of protest or the fact that Herakles was standing on the opposite shore. Herakles had killed the satyr of course. Shot him with a well-aimed arrow which hit right in the troth of the bastard, severing the main artery to the brain. The moron had been dead even before the terrified and enraged Deianeira had pushed his dirty hands off her voluptuous body - end of story. Or at least that was what Herakles had thought.

What he didn't know was that the centaur had lived long enough to give Deianeira what he claimed was a love potion. A magic liquid which would make every man exposed to it falling in love with her. The only thing Deianeira had to do, Nessos assured, was to mix the potion with approximately 6 oz of her own blood, pour it all over some garment and then hand it over for the man she desired and having him wearing it next to his body. And when he complied he would become hers forever.

Hearing this Deianeira had accepted the gift of the tiny flask, kept it with her and more or less forgot about it for years and years, while she and Herakles made themselves a lovely home and started a family. After all Deianeira did trust her Herakles and their love more than anything. He had never let her down, he had always been there for the children, caring for them and providing with a good life, even they weren't overly rich. But he was kind and well liked, and that fame spilled over on her and the children as well. So perhaps the flask would had stayed forgotten if it wasn't for the case that Deianeira, as the years wore on, had started to suspect that Herakles was looking at other women, no - doing more than looking at other woman. And especially at...

Deianeira's vivid imagination had invented paranoid stories and she had started to see things that weren't. She had believed that Herakles was tiring of her as she was aging and graying, her skin losing its luster and her body slowing down, fleshing out and starting to sag. She wasn't a fit twenty-something anymore, she had carried four children and it showed. And it scared her. As if Herakles wasn't seeing the same development happening to himself. He was now past fifty, the formerly so strong hero was suffering from pain in his knees and ankles and his eye-sight was faulting. On top of that he was balding fast these days, those famous, blond curls became traded in for graying wisps that he could as well do without and in the end the hero had shaved his head completely.

No, Herakles was not the horny old fart who was looking at young girls. He knew he stood no chance. Perhaps someone would take him for his fame, but that kind of 'love' was nothing he desired. And money he had very little of these days, they hadn't been rich to begin with and then most of it had gone to education of the children and to keeping the house in shape. Besides, what would he have in common with a young bimbo? He wanted to age with Deianeira, he wanted to enjoy the golden years with his beloved, anticipating the arrival of grandchildren. He wanted to sit in the shadow with a cup of wine watching Deianeira tend her beloved garden and perhaps talk a bit. Those was the years he looked forward to, not trying to keep up with a twenty year old.

But it was not to be. None of Herakles dreams were meant to be, and all because of a wile centaur and his wife's paranoid jealousy.

These days the old hero had taken up peace negotiations, he almost constantly met kings, queens and other rulers around the Hellas, straightening out quarrels and disagreements, listening and giving advices. Using his name and reputation to have people listening to his advices and solutions. What was to become the very last of those many trips took him to the young queen Iole of Likaros. Queen Iole feared her two neighboring countries, which according to her spies were planning to take advantage of Likaros being lead by a young and inexperienced queen and thus invade the little kingdom, overpower it and split it between themselves. Therefore Iole had turned to Herakles for help and he travelled to Likaros to try to find a peaceful solution between the three kingdoms.

Meanwhile Deianeira had heard the extensive talk about queen Iola's beauty, and now she feared that Herakles would be enticed not only by the young queen's looks but also by her position. Deianeira dreaded that her husband would be tempted to stay in Likaros even after his work was done. Thus blinded by her jealousy she couldn't see clear, it didn't even cross her mind that the beautiful Iola might not be the slightest interested in bald old Herakles besides for pure professional reasons. Neither did it occur to Deianeira, when she remembered the magic potion, that the long gone centaur could be setting her up from beyond his grave, taking revenge for his death in the meanest of ways. No, in the mind of Deianeira existed only the fear of losing her husband Herakles. To be left alone and lonely, rejected and cast by the wayside, 'traded in for a newer model' as the saying went.

So she went to her cabinet and after searching a while among old love letters, children's drawings, recipes, jewelry gone out of fashion and stacked away money she found the flask almost to the back of a small, locked drawer containing mostly of odd buttons, bird feathers, gathered sea-shells and smooth little stones, things she sometimes wondered why she saved. But there it was, a tiny flask of matte ink-blue glass, roughly made and not really eye-catching. Deianeira couldn't remember when she had paid attention to it the last time, or what she might have thought - perhaps about throwing it away - but now it came to use. She recalled what Nessos the centaur had told her to do, and even if it did touch her mind that the failed rapist might not have been completely honest, she was so immersed in her misdirected jealousy that she dismissed those thoughts faster than they were given room in her brain.

Deianeira had saved a tunic as a welcome-home gift for Herakles, now she decided to send it as a gift with a courier to her husband instead. To really make sure he got it before he lost himself in the emerald eyes of Queen Iola. But prior to that she poured the containment of the blue flask into a bowl and after that she took a tiny dagger and cut herself in her hand and let it bleed until it filled a cup of 6 oz. It really hurt, but she tried to think of how much it might hurt if Herakles left her. Compared to that a pain in the hand paled almost to nothing.

When that was done she mixed the containment in the bowl and finally she spilled the liquid over the tunic, which was fortunately black as tar, so no stains would be visible. It was almost as if she had known when she selected it… subconsciously… It smelled foul but that didn't stop her. Magic stuff was supposed to smell foul, wasn't it? And the worse it smelt the more potent it was, right?

The last thing was gift-wrapping the tunic and then Deianeira sent it with a fast courier to Likaros, hoping the young horse girl would make it in time.

And you might say it did. The gift from Deianeira arrived in due time for the wrapping up party. A peace treaty had been signed between the three kingdoms in the Temple of Eternal Zeus as tradition was, and with witnesses from several other neighboring countries, to guarantee that it remained kept. When Herakles unpacked the magnificent outfit he thanked his wife in his heart, reminding himself to bring her a gift as precious back from Likaros before he left. He already had a bagful but at that time it didn't feel enough. He was so glad to have something stately to wear at the wrap-up party. Something new, to show that he was a wealthy man, able to afford new outfits on every important night.

Smiling he put the tunic on and indulged in a few moments of admiring himself in the mirror before he descended the stairs to the waiting party, trailed by his company of scribes and bodyguards. Yet there was nothing a bodyguard could possibly do to save Herakles now. Little did they know what was awaiting their employer. And that they would stand helpless failing to protect him from the approaching danger. No one suspected a thing while Herakles engaged in the party, drank, ate and laughed, receiving praises, handshakes and back-pats from every corner or the grand room. The hero of the night. A hero again, just like in the old days, although of a different kind this time. A hero of wisdom and cunning mind rather than bravery and strength.

=O=O=O=

It started as a slight itch. Nothing more than an irritating sensation between his shoulder blades. Herakles so wanted to scratch himself but he couldn't do so in public, so he endured one speech more boring than the next when what he really wanted to was to go behind a pillar and grind his back against the sharp marble edges that made up the tree-inspired, striped pattern. So as soon as protocol made it possible he excused himself and went into the men's room, not to relieve himself but scratch the itch. It didn't help. If possibly he made it worse!

He thought he stayed a quarter of an hour in the men's room, trying to rid himself of the itch. In the end he tore off the tunic and splashed cold water on the back from the commode standing beside the basin. That made it feel slightly better if only for a short while. Cursing Herakles put on his tunic again and returned to the reception. And the itch returned as well. So unlike himself he excused himself early that night, and almost ran up the winding stairs to his room, decided to sleep it off. He also sent for an amphora of wine, hoping that the beverage would dull his discomfort.

Perhaps if he had gotten the tunic off earlier the hero would have gotten away with something like a hard sunburn. Now the toxic elements had been having their good time to sink into his skin, infecting not only the cellular structure but poisoning the blood as well. That made it too late for anyone to possibly save Herakles from his bitter faith.

The wine didn't help, far from it. It actually made the pain worse. Now the itch had turned into a burning, tormenting pain. First it remained Herakles of when he had gotten his back too sunburned in the desserts of Libya on the way to Atlas and the Hesperian apples and he longed for Deianeira to be there and spread some cooling aloe vera over his hurting back. But his wife was not around and there was no one else he could ask. That was not an enquiry to turn to a bodyguard with without receiving several risen eye brows. Besides, there was probably no aloe vera around…

Soon the pain was starting to spread from his back and down his buttocks and tights and then across the shoulders and over his torso too, smoldering and burning in a way that made the demigod almost wonder if there would be smoke evaporating from his upper body. Herakles cursed and tried to smear wine on his skin in a futile attempt to dull the pain. It took all his might to keep him from crying out loud.

=O=O=O=

Downstairs the party had ended more or less directly after the guest of honor had left. The queen had excused herself and returned to her chambers, pondering that there seemed to have been something wrong with the old hero. He had been absent-minded and behaved almost like something was troubling him. Could he have received bad news from home? Could his wife be ill, queen Iola wondered. She remembered how Herakles had told about his love for his wife, promising her that she would one day meet a man who loved her as dearly and trustingly as he loved his Deianeira. Iola had got tears in her large eyes upon hearing that. True love was so wonderful and so rare. It wasn't often Aphrodite's blessings were enduring, Iola thought, remembering her own parents' constant fighting.

=O=O=O=

Down in the courtyard an adolescent voice could be heard:  
>"It's one hour after midnight and all is well in the kingdom of Likaros."<p>

But it wasn't. Not for Herakles, his skin was on fire and he was watching blisters form like he had been burnt by flames. Horrified he watched the skin blackening and peeling off in a pain like thousands of tortures. What was this? Unable to stand it anymore he put on a cloak and rushed out of the castle and ran down to the harbour. Those he met backed off in fear, terrified by his contorted face and the raging madness burning in his eyes. Only one man had stopped, the royal medic. He understood, he knew the symptoms.  
>"Poison," he had whispered to himself. "Someone has poisoned the negotiator. Who could have done such a terrible thing? And why? And Zeus bless us, this is really bad news!"<p>

The medic wondered if he should wake the queen, but decided to wait until the morning. After all there was nothing Iola could do to change anything at this moment. Herakles was dying, slowly and painfully, and the medic wondered why someone had wished him such a wile death. A dagger in the side would have done the job quick and efficient.

"Perhaps it's old grudges," he said to himself, pouring himself his well needed sleeping drug. "Surely a man like Herakles must have plenty of enemies around."

Meanwhile Herakles had reached the shore side, and crazed from pain he threw off his cloak and dived into the ice cold winter sea. The shore side was deserted in the late of the night, so no one saw the beast with blackened skin diving into the waves, no one understood that it was Herakles, his blood on fire as well as his skin now, while he tried to save himself from the pain by diving deep down in the seemingly endless black. All he wanted now was relief, relief from the tatarian pain, even if that relief meant death. He was beyond wondering who had done this to him now, although he had earlier understood that this was no illness or accident, this was a terrible way to kill him.

Now the son of Zeus thought nothing at all. He barely recognized hitting the surface of the sea and how the cold water enveloped him and began to pull him down into the endless blackness…

=O=O=O=

He woke up on a beach, sand stinging his cheek and tickling inside his nostrils. He had no idea how he had got there or why. First there was nothing. Nothing but here and now. The sand against his cheek, the sound of soft waves kissing the beach, the smell of salty sea water and the chilly darkness of night around him. The chill felt comforting…. Why?

Then there was recollections. They came as he was forced to sneeze. He had been in Likaros. Negotiating a peace, when… The last thing he could remember was excusing himself to go to the men's room at the Likarosan fare-well reception. After that everything had turned into a painful blackness of throbbing insanity. A burning and never ending nightmare of tartarian torture! A walk of madness on death's edge. And now what…?

Herakles had no idea how long he laid immobile in the sand. The only thing he knew was that he was feeling strange, awareness faltering. Like he was there but not really there. Like all the things around him were seen and felt trough a milky haze of dullness. The sand didn't really feel like sand but more soft, more even. Even if it tickled and itched him it didn't really seem to reach his sensitive parts of the skin. He could smell salt and sea weed, but it felt more like a memory of a smell than a real sensation. The sound of the sea was muted as if his ears were plugged and the dark of the night held a strange, bluish light to it. Like moonlight but more ambient, coming from nowhere and everywhere at the same time. As if it really wasn't dark.

Next he realized he was hearing something else beside the waves. It sounded almost like - music. Very very faint music. No, not really music, but simple tunes which was falling and rising, repeating themselves, like they had been playing like this for eternity. Softly and slowly and barely audible, resounding more in his mind than from the outside. It was impossible to decide what was making it - not a flute nor a lyre but something in between. Herakles had never heard anything remotely like it. Still, that music was beautiful beyond comprehension and he felt like he could lie there in the sand and listen to it for all eternity.

"I must be dead." That was the really first clear though passing through Herakles' mind. "Whatever happened in Likaros it killed me." Oddly enough the notion didn't scare or despair him, it didn't even sadden him. He just - thought it out loud, as if his senses were dulled too. That music? Was this the land down under? Was this the Hades? Was it the shores of Styx where he was resting now?

Soon curiosity got the better of him. Herakles had always, as long as he could remember, been driven by a never slaking desire to find out more about things. If this was the down under he sure wanted to see what it was like. He found that it felt the same to rise as it had felt - before. When he was - alive? He was still aware of how his hand touched the sand and pushed against it to raise him up. He still had knees and legs, even if they felt a bit rubbery, and he noted that he had got sand on his tights and he brushed it off, felt his hands working the way they used to. The texture of sand and of skin seemed similar, although not exactly the same. As if his tactile organs were somehow dulled too. At the same time he was sensing a kind of vertigo while standing up, like the world had tilted. Mystified he looked around.

Sure, it looked very much like an ordinary beach and there was an ordinary moon slowly setting over the horizon to the left. "West," he thought, as if assuming that the moon behaved the same way down under as it was doing in the world of the living. If this was down under of course. He wasn't so sure anymore. It looked a bit too much like an ordinary little island in an ordinary nighttime Aegean. A tiny, rocky, desolate and uninhibited place. Herakles could still hear the extraordinary music and since he could think of nothing better to do he decided to find out where it came from. Accordingly he started to walk up the beach, trying to home in on the soft tunes. To no avail, the music seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at the same time. As if it was a part of this place just as much as the air. As was that strange blue light, which didn't felt as prominent anymore. Not as it had when he woke up.

Instead there was another light, a more familiar one, shining in the corner of his eye. Orange and flickering. Firelight. There was a campfire burning not far from here. Campfires meant people, and thus company, he thought. And Herakles felt he needed company really bad now. Someone to talk to, even if that person probably had no clue about what Herakles was doing here and how he had gotten here. The hero turned and started walk towards the fire, up a narrow and stony path. For some reason he found that no matter how dark it had became he knew just where to put his feet to not stumble on the uneven ground, and that felt odd and confusing and at the same time comforting.

In front of the fire with the back turned to him was a cloaked and hooded person, sitting on a stone and looking at the crackling flames. The person showed no sign of having noted the approaching Herakles. Yet when he was within hearing distance the person - a woman, he noted - told him to come and sit down by the fire.  
>"So, Herakles," the woman said. "Your life finally brought you here." There was something familiar with her dark, almost sensual voice, but Herakles failed to recognize what. "Put the cloak on and sit down, son of Zeus."<p>

As the woman nodded slightly to her left Heracles nodded a dark purple cloak, almost black, lying on the log next to her. That made him realize that he was stark naked and he blushed slightly at the comprehension before he heeded her command and pulled the cloak to him and swept around himself, fastening it with an ornate clasp of silver around his neck. The cloak seemed form-fit to him, it fell around his large body as if it was tailored exactly to be as flattering and comfortable as possible. A short moment later Herakles sat down on the log, not next to the woman but a bit away, felt the gnarled tree against his bare tights.

Something in her commanding tone told him she had been expecting him and that she knew exactly the reason for him to be in this strange place and what was going to happen next. That made him feel a bit uncomfortable. He wasn't afraid, but his life had taught him to be cautious. Especially among strangers who's powers and intentions he knew nothing about. They might be friendly but they might as well be hostile. And with this hooded woman he couldn't tell. No one had called him son of Zeus in ages. That was a part of his life he really didn't want to be reminded of. The faceless stranger who had fathered him upon his mother, and thus cursed both her and him with the wrath of Hera.

They sounded stupid, he knew it, the three questions he asked the stranger, but at the same time he guessed they were expected.  
>"What is this place and what am I doing here? And who are you?"<br>"You might have guessed by now that this is not the underworld." the woman said. "As to who I am - consider me a messenger for the time being. A negotiator if you like. "  
>"For what?"<br>"For you - to choose."  
>"Chose what?"<br>"You can come home - or you can go home."

"What?" Herakles wrinkled his brow. "What kind of strange choice is that?"  
>"The one you have to make before daybreak. You only have a limited amount of time, son of Zeus."<br>"Are you an oracle or something? At least you speak like one."  
>"No, I am not."<br>"Then who are you?"

"Let me explain," the hooded woman began. "You should have died there yonder in Likaros. And you might yet. Let's say that this is a meantime, where you linger between life and death. Because your life - your very soul hangs in a balance right now. "  
>"What are you talking about, what kind of balance? I mean either you die or you don't."<br>"Not your kind. For you it's not that simple."  
>"My kind?"<p>

"The demigods. All of you eventually reach a point in life where you can chose between life and death. Where you can chose to become gods, to live forever young, and walk this world and other dimensions for all eternity. Or you can choose to return to your mortal circle of life, to age and die and enter the Hades, have your soul cleaned of memories and pain and eventually become reborn, remembering nothing of your former life."  
>"Do all the people do that?"<br>"What?"  
>"Reincarnate."<br>"Yes. But we are not here to talk about that now. We're here to talk about your choice."  
>"I can become a god?"<p>

"Yes. And that's not always bliss, even if the mortals think so. With divinity comes responsibility beyond comprehension, and sometimes a gods life is tenfold harder than a mortal's, because there's no opt-out. No retirement and no relief in death. But you are the son of Zeus himself, you should be able to negotiate a good deal for yourself, should you chose that path in life."  
>"Or I die. Here and now?"<br>"Not necessary. You may notice that your body carry no traces anymore of the venom which burnt you and poisoned your blood. If you so chose I can send you back again, to your mortal life. To your family and friends and duties."  
>"To Deianeira?"<br>"Yes, to Deianeira. But what you must know is that she was the one who killed you."


	4. The demigod arrives

**The demigod arrives**

The messenger - that was what Herakles called his hooded acquaintance in lack of better words - had told the whole story of Nessos' poison and of Deianeira's deed. When she ended her narration Herakles sat muted for quite a while and looked into the flames, uncertain of how to deal with this knowledge. It pained him, it hurt him down to the very bones to learn that it was his wife who had done this to him. The very person he had loved and trusted more than anyone else in the world. That she had relied so little upon him and his love for her that she had felt forced to use black magic to bind him to her at any cost. That she hadn't even considered that the gift from Nessos could be a deception. It was as if something inside of Herakles snapped apart at this comprehension. Was that his heart?

Why? Why hadn't she trusted...? Why hadn't she even asked him? Fighting back tears Herakles covered his face in his big hands, whishing there was some way to right what had gone wrong between him and Deianeira. But he understood there wasn't. He knew that even if he went back to her now he would never be able to mend their relation. Because he didn't really know where it had begun to go wrong. And how to turn that wrong into a right. How to make her trust him again. It felt like everything was in vain, and Herakles felt as if his love for Deianeira there and then withered to naught. To ashes to be blown away in the wind.

Finally the son of Zeus sighed, breaking the silence.  
>"I wish I had… I'm so sorry. I guess I failed Deianeira. She probably believed all the time... that I was betraying her. Why! Why, why, why couldn't she just have asked? All needed was a single enquiry. I would have told her there was never another woman."<br>"She wouldn't have believed you," the messenger simply stated. "She had made up her mind about what to believe a long time ago."  
>"And our children. Did they…?"<br>"They are old enough and smart enough to make up their own minds. Which it is due time for you to do now."  
>"I… I need to think."<br>"Herakles. The more you think, the more uncertain you will be. You shall trust your instinct in this. Do what feels right. Besides you cannot stay here much longer, because this place does not really exist. And thus it's unstable. If we don't leave soon it might implode, and I don't know what that will cause. A disaster probably. An earthquake in the mortals land, killing thousands. Or worse. Herakles!"

"Come home - or go home - what does it mean?"  
>"Come home to Olympos. To your divine father. Or go home to your wife and children."<p>

He swallowed. It was so hard. It was one decision, and no chance for regrets, so much had he understood. Once again he hid his face in his hands, and just like they say about dying, he ran his life on repeat in his mind, as if the past could guide him into the future. Finally the demigod made up his mind, swallowed hard before replying:  
>"I chose godhood. But not because of vain or death scare. You gods should know that I've always wanted to help people. As many as possible. That has been my one aim in life. That was why I made a bet with king Tyndareus and lost and had to perform twelve labours. And that was why I chose to become a peace negotiator when I grew too old for heroic deed. As a god I can become so much more. Also, I know I can never return to Deianeira. Not after this she did to me. Still.. I'm going to miss them."<br>"I know that," the messenger said. "But your children are grown up now. Adults with their own lives. And you might still see them, even if it's best to do so anonymously in the future. Now, Herakles - come sit next to me!"

The messenger had raised her hands, the wide dark textiles of her cloak falling back and displaying white, slender arms and elegant hands which she put on each of his temples. He could feel the chill of her ring upon his cheek as her hands touched him. And those hands were soft and uncalloused as those of a child, still firm with determination.  
>"Now this will hurt just a little bit. Then you'll fall asleep for a few moments while your body changes. Don't fight it, Herakles, this is the way it works."<p>

=0=0=

After Herakles' acceptance of his divine origin, the messenger told him her name was Orianthe. She had put Herakles to sleep by the fireplace, explaining to him that when he would wake up he would be fully restored as an immortal and then she would accompany him to Olympos and his divine father. Zeus! Just the thought of meeting him had made Herakles utterly nervous. What would he really say to the king of the gods?

When Herakles woke up again it was midmorning and the sun was shining from a clear blue sky, casting slanted shadows. The crisp air had a faint bite into it, heralding arriving bad weather and possibly snow and the only thing heard was the breaking waves and calling gulls. Herakles rose, shook his head to get rid of the dizziness of sleep - and then he found that he could gaze right into the sun. He didn't have to avoid his eyes like earlier. And he noted that it was among the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. Real whitish-golden magic and adorned with darker spots and meanderings in constant motion, as if it was liquid marble he was looking at.

Surprised he raised and started to look around for Orianthe. A part of his mind tried to tell him that he was hungry, but he chased those thoughts away. He had much more important things on his mind now than eating, he thought. If Orianthe was to take him to Olympos he sure didn't want to wait unnecessary long for it to happen. It would only add to his discomfort, he figured. Other urgent demands were harder to push away though. Apparently being a god didn't stop certain calls of the nature and he did what he had to behind a boulder before he resumed his search for the messenger goddess. Soon enough he found her out on a rock, sitting lotus and apparently in some kind of extrasensory contact with somebody.

When Herakles started heading down the rocky path he noted with a pleasant surprise that he wasn't feeling his knees and ankles anymore. It was much easier to move and to keep his balance. He actually felt stronger and more agile than he had done in the prime of his youth. Thus it didn't take him long to descend the few hundred feet down to the beach and head out to the rock where Orianthe was sitting.

First he feared disturbing her but she had apparently been anticipating him because when he approached she turned her head. Her hood was down and for the first time he noted that she had thick golden blond hair braided up in a generous, egg-shaped bun on top of her head. In the knot were stung pins of ebony and ivory with golden carvings and attached gems. She also had several diamond studs in each ear lobe and another diamond in her nose. On the other hand she wore next to no make-up, and Herakles realized she didn't need it. She was very beautiful in spite. A true goddess. At that moment he realized that in his former - mortal life - he would not have been able to notice all those details. His eyes had failed him more and more for every year on that accord, and distant faces were often just blurs these days. Or had been up to now at least.

"Good morning, Herakles," Orianthe smiled. "Slept well?"  
>"I think so," he replied. "It has been quite a while since I slept outdoors." Then he realized that not even his back hurt anymore. He felt fine, no more than that.<br>"Are you ready to take on Olympos then, son of Zeus?" the messenger goddess asked.  
>"I guess I am," Herakles replied, bracing himself for what to come.<br>"Relax then and come, take my hand. Your father is waiting for you."

That sounded preposterous, sure Zeus had more important things on his mind than some random spawn. Still Herakles took a deep breath and grasped Orianthe's offered hand. The next thing happening he would never forget since it was the strangest of things. The Goddess had laid one arm around his waist and as if he weighted nothing more than a feather she had lifted him up in the air. When his feet lost contact with the ground he felt an imminent moment of frightful vertigo, but the next second he was sensing some bizarre inner change, as if a part of him was striving to elevate in the same manner as Orianthe, only that he had no idea about how to really do it. Like a child trying to walk while holding on to mum or dad.

But the goddess Orianthe didn't wait for his errant tries, she just carried him northward across the sea and the land. Looking down Herakles could see them passing Likaros and other small city-states. He could see boats traversing the waters and people and animals moving about on the land. He saw towns, cities and farmlands, castles and fortifications, harbours and open cast mines. Then they reached the mighty forests of central Thessaly. This was the land of the Centaurs, beings he had fought years and years ago. Fought and then made peace with. They passed over Nemea, where he had performed his very first labour by killing the man-eating lion dwelling there. It hadn't been that hard, a few arrows in its flank and then the beast was down. Although the story had grown way out of proportion over the years. These days he hardly recognized it himself.

Next there were some marshy lands where he had followed Trachian elite soldiers who had kidnapped a Trojan emissary, a much harder deed, because he had to get to the Trachians without causing any harm to the Trojan. He had eventually solved the problem by sneaking up on the chef and putting a drug in the stew. A drug to put them all to sleep, and then he had ran off with the Trojan, not waking him up before they were safely away from the Trachians.

He forgot all about that though, when Orianthe urged him to look ahead. There, in front of them, begun a powerful mountain range with snowcapped peaks partly covered in clouds, and one of the mountains seemed to tower over the rest of them, although it looked oddly cropped at the top. As if it had somehow lost the uppermost peak. When they closed in on the mighty mountain they seemed to pass some kind of 'barrier' where the air wavered like it can do in the distance on hot days, and the image of snow Herakles had seen disappeared like a fata morgana and left the most impressing view.

There it was - the Olympos. On top of that peak rested a lush landscape, drenched in sunlight. There were meadows and fields, lakes and small woods. Waterfalls were streaming down from the upper parts and downhill, rainbows shining in the mists. On an elevated central part rested a palace of white marble with golden roofs, surrounded by a village of smaller mansions. Everything very neat and well managed, although not as large as Herakles had expected it to be. Now Orianthe was taking him towards that palace in the middle which appeared even whiter than the snow on the surrounding peaks and which breathtaking architecture seemed to defy gravity and somehow managed to look both delicate and powerful at the same time. It sure was a place worthy of gods! It sure was Olympos!

Orianthe had landed with him in front of that wonderful palace and let go of him and he had almost stumbled by the sudden impact in the ground.  
>"Welcome to Olympos, Herakles," she smiled and he had returned the expression, thanking her. Then he had once more turned to the palace, and seen from below it sure seemed more imposing and prevailing than before. He could feel in his whole body that this was the abode of the mighty Zeus himself, and Herakles felt oddly humble and out of place as he approached the large structure.<p>

=0=0=

He had no idea of what to expect of the home of the gods. Herakles had of course heard the countless descriptions of its unearthly grandness and beauty, he had heard that it was a place of eternal spring, of perfection and tranquility, a place of no sadness, tears, pain and worries where the immortals lived their lives in endless bliss.

On the other hand Herakles had met gods more than once. His half sister Athena had made no secret that Olympos was far from perfection and that she couldn't stand the place from time to time. She had told him once that nothing was perfect save for the place you created in your daydreams and populated with your imaginary friends. Athena - yes, that was someone he was looking forward to meet again. It had been decades since he talked to his sister the last time. He remembered how she had hugged him and told him to take care and how he had felt the finality of it, as if it had been her last visit in his life. The last time - he had been so certain back then - that he would never see her again. Little did he know that he would be the one visiting her in her divine home the next time. In what he had now started to regard as his new life!

Although beside Athena there was no one Herakles really looked forward to meet.

=0=0=

Before being received by Zeus, Herakles was shown to a side building of the palace, where he was escorted into some kind of spa suite where got the chance to bath, in a tub more like a pool, and where the most beautiful nymphs were carrying herbs and soap, scrubbed him on his back and gave him a shave, all of them with the gentlest of hands. He sure could get used to this, Herakles thought with a smile. Finally his body was massaged and rubbed in sweet smelling oils by those skilled hands. After the treatment he received a tunic made out of the purest silk, white and blue with golden threads. It fit his large body like tailor suited! With the tunic went a thin, golden headband and sandals of soft suede. When Herakles was dressed, one of the nymphs had held a mirror in front of him - and he had met his reflection with a fast intake of breath. He was twenty again! Or at least that was what it looked like. His body was fit and strong once more and his face was unlined and unscarred. The only thing missing was his hair, and without thinking he stroke with his right hand across the scalp. It felt like a shaven chin, the hair was growing back again!

Then Orianthe returned, as if on a cue, and once again she urged him to follow. They had gone downstairs, trough a stoa gallery and out in a lovely courtyard garden filled with flowers as if it wasn't winter at all but early summer. There were also blossoming trees, fountains and statues, singing birds and fluttering butterflies. The goddess had led him down a path of white pebbles and then inside the building ahead of them, which was really another part of the main palace. She had just chosen the pretty garden as a shortcut.

Up another broad flight of stairs they went and then across a large hall and into an elegant room where half a dozen people were gathered around a table with what appeared to be breakfast. None of them were seated though, and Herakles noted with a slight embarrassment that they had been waiting for him.

A quick glance had him recognizing fair-haired and blue-eyed Athena and Hermes with his profusion of red curls and slightly awry grin. Then one of the gods stepped forward. He looked very much the same as what Herakles had seen when he faced himself in that mirror, save for a flying mane of blond hair. Herakles had to bend his neck slightly to look up at the god, something the tall hero was far from used to. The god held out his hand and when Herakles took it he received a pat on the back too.  
>"Welcome to Olympos, son!" said he who was obviously Zeus. "I have been anticipating for years to be able to welcome you here among us, in this circle of family. That you, at the end of your mortal life, would be prepared to take the step into godhood, and join us here at Olympos. Which I am glad you were, Herakles, since you truly belong here with us. May I extend my welcome to those here today and all the rest who you will get to meet later."<p>

"Thank you Father, I'm honored," was all Herakles could think of saying. He felt dry in his mouth and had a hard time getting his brain around the fact that the magnificent King of the Gods had received him almost like an equal. He had been asked to kneel for lesser kings, regarded as a commoner, although a hero. A celebrity to decorate a royal reception with rather than someone to be regarded as a peer and a possible friend. It was only during his later years of wisdom Herakles had come to be considered as one whose words you listened to and respected. Then Herakles realized that Zeus held such a stature that he didn't have to bother with 'kneeling subjects' and 'show-off superstars'. He had welcomed Herakles from his heart, and it moved the old hero deeply.

Now Zeus turned slightly, still with his arm around his son's back:  
>"You've met Athena and Hermes," he said, indicating the sister and brother couple to their left. On the other side of the table waited two women and a man. The man looked like another Zeus copy, although not as muscular and broad shouldered and with long artist's fingers and a slightly haughty look. The women were brunettes, one tall and athletic and slightly resembling Athena, elegantly dressed in green and silver and with a silver diadem with amethysts circling her head. The other one was short and buxom with a smile plastered over a lovely heart-shaped face. She wore a yellow and orange dress of the transparent layer upon transparent layer kind which was so popular among women these days. But her outfit seemed quite a bit more elegant and well designed.<p>

"Over here we have Artemis, Apollo and Pasithea. All of them are sisters and brothers of yours, they were those who could make it here today, after all the notice was short. Nobody knew what was going on down in Likaros before we received word from Orianthe. All the rest you'll meet in due time."  
>"I wouldn't have missed your welcome home for anything in the world, Herc!" Athena said and smiled. She was the only one save for his closest acquaintances who had ever called him Herc. As if it was the most natural thing in the world she went over and hugged him. "It's been twenty five years, I can't believe it!" she went on with laughter in her troth, her grayish blue eyes glittering like aquamarines in the sun. With her natural gentleness and grace she made Herakles teary eyed and suddenly everything felt much easier. With his dear Athena around he knew he didn't have to be the slightest nervous.<p>

With a polite smile he pulled out the chair for Athena, and she looked at him with a second of surprise before she sat down next to him with a giggle.  
>"Don't pull out the chair for that lassie," Apollo teased him in a good natured way from acros<br>the table, where he sat down between Pasithea and Artemis. "She's not used to that behavior from men."  
>"Why not?" Heracles asked, not sure if it was meant as a joke or a lecture.<br>"Oh, they either run away from her or try to kiss her feet," Apollo went on.  
>"Oh, come on!" Athena rolled her eyes, so it was obviously a joke. And Artemis was soon on the thread as well with a:<br>"Behave, little brother! Herakles is a newbie here, can't you tell he's red cheeked now. He doesn't yet know how to deal with the Olympian humour."  
>"He better lean quickly then," Pasithea added as the various breakfast delicacies begun to be passed around.<p>

Now Heracles found himself feast better than kings on newly baked bread, a variety of cheeses, fruit, eggs, ham, freshly pressed juices, milk, berries, omelet... He realized he could have stuffed himself with all these goodies, but politeness soon got its hold on him and he made sure to finish while the others were still eating. And after some idle chit-chat Zeus turned to his blond son:  
>"Herakles, open your heart! Shyness does not become you. You're with family now, and they might be a bit rowdy, those siblings of yours, but they're all very good natured. If you desire more to eat, then do go ahead! And if you have questions to ask, which I have no doubt you've got, then give them to us as well!"<br>"I..." Herakles begun, and then he grabbed another piece of cheese and a few figs and put them on his plate.

Then he turned to his father. There was something with Zeus' open face and the warmness in his enquiry which made Herakles relax and for the first time feel like he could really drop his entire defense and just relax and be himself. Now, that was unexpected, he thought. But he felt he trusted Zeus. More than most other people he had met. Over the years Herakles had become quite a good judge of characters, and these days he knew well to tell a crook from an honest man. And his charismatic father sure was of the latter kind. And the top notch good guy as well. Then again, Herakles guessed that to be able to reach and to keep the position Zeus held, he had to be honest and just, to keep his word and play with open cards. Or he'd soon have a growing discomfort around himself. A discomfort which might quickly turn into insurgence if not handled well. Herakles had seen it happen with corrupt kings, how they soon created a rebellion against themselves, and how they didn't last long on the throne. He guessed the same accounted for the realm of the gods.

"Zeu..." he corrected himself: "Father?"  
>"Yeah," Zeus put down his cup of that hot herb drink he had been drinking from and folded his fingers.<br>"I don't know really - what is expected of me."  
>"At the moment, nothing really, save for letting us getting to know you for real. Tell your story in exchange for ours. Get yourself acquainted with our Olympos and with your newly acquired godhood."<br>"Is that... all?"  
>"Herakles, I know well what you have challenged yourself with in life. How you want to help people, how you want to the turn the world around you into a better place. Now you have the opportunity to do that for real! When you feel ready, go ahead and take that chance! Granting most of all, this is your home now. And I want you to truly feel it."<p>

When Zeus was done, Athena had cut in. She was less of the flowery talker and more of the down to business kind of person.  
>"You live in the guest wing now, Herc," she said. "But as soon as possible, go talk to Hephaestos! He's not at home today, I believe he's in Thebes. But when he gets back, make sure he'll make it top priority to help you create your new manor. His people know these things. And with a house of your own, a door to close and place for your things, it'll be quite a bit easier for you to feel at home."<p>

"All my things... they are still at my... at Deianeira's pla... at my old place," he staggered. Then he cursed, he sure felt lost in the swing of things, he didn't even know what to call the people and places from his old life now.  
>"I know what you mean," Pasithea smiled at him. "Just tell me what things you hold dearest, and I'll take care of it."<br>"But sure my... Deianeira... my ex wife might notice if things disappeared. My favourite chair, my books and my sword collection and..."  
>"Don't worry, we'll fix that," Pasithea replied. "I'll make copies of most of the things. And soon there will be a man at Deianeira's door offering her a good price for your complete sword collection."<br>"Who can do such thing?" Herakles asked.  
>"I'm an expert in replicating magic, if I might say it myself. And trust Hermes to cut a deal with Deianeira and bring all the arms you desire here in original form."<p>

At those words Hermes grinned even wider and made a thumbs up sign.  
>"You'll have your swords next week the latest." Herakles' brother promised. "Deianeira must first get used to the fact that you're gone after all, before she can start thinking about selling your things. Especially to a man she has never met before."<br>"My... Deianeira... how does it work - are we still married?" Herakles looked from Pasithea to Zeus and then to Athena, seeking for an answer to that delicate question he had tried to avoid. "Because I cannot bring her here, right?"

"Actually," Zeus began. "Since you are legally dead in the mortal realm you're not to be regarded as married anymore. The death of a mortal automatically annulls any contract of marriage between him or her and the other part."  
>"But I am alive..!"<br>"Yes, as a god." Zeus explained. "That's quite a different existence, both physical and legal. The Hercules in front of me is more or less another person now than the man who died in Likaros yesterday. And you're ruled by another jurisdiction. You have other rights, other responsibilities. And you are legally unwed now. One day you might find a goddess and remarry, but don't concern yourself with that now. Just enjoy this new spring of life, my son. This second prospect."

Herakles was sure going to do that. He learned quite a few things more just that mid morning. Foremost, Orianthe was a daughter of Hermes and therefore his niece.

=0=0=

There weren't any oaths to swear or papers to sign, the only formality about Herakles' elevation to Olympian had been his father's acceptance. After the pleasant breakfast Herakles had been showed to the guest wing by pretty nymphs. He would be staying there until he had picked an empty spot and had his very own home raised. Although he felt no real hurry, the guest suite sure was a stately place, the spacious two room suite was better than any place he had stayed during his whole mortal life. And the bathroom was worthy of Eastern sultans. That this would be what the nymph had called 'just a little hole in the wall in lack of better' made Herakles wonder what a 'regular' Olympian home looked like. Sure, any king's palace had nothing against what he had seen so far.

He spent some time looking around the suite, resting on a bed softer than anything he had ever laid down upon earlier, and actually dozing off for a couple of minutes. Then he had inspected the closet, filled with more of those silk garments he wore, and Herakles held no doubt that they all would fit him as nicely as the one he was wearing right now. Then he spent some time to admire himself in the full body mirror on the outside of the closet. It was made out of one single glass piece, something he hadn't ever seen before. But what mattered more was the impression of himself - he sure was 'twenty' again - and more handsome than ever. He was as well built and fit as in his youth again, the annoying fat on his belly was gone and so were the spots and wrinkles upon his skin. As were the scars he had worn with some odd kind of pride earlier and his twice broken nose had adjusted itself again. And what more, his left pinky finger was back, the one had had got cut off in a fight when he had sailed with Jason and the Argonauts in his thirties. Herakles had never been vain, although now he found that he couldn't stop admiring his reflection, almost as if he was some kind of Narcissus. Realizing that he tore himself from the alluring mirror and went into the bathroom - only to face another mirror of the same kind!

He forced himself to esteem the wall mosaiques of ships and jumping dolphins instead, and then that large tub. On the wall by the head of the tub a pipe was protruding and on top of that were two strange, flower-shaped metal pieces. Curios he fingered one of them, the one with a red gemstone in the middle of the 'flower', thus realizing the strange thing was somehow loose, possible to turn. As he did water came spewing out of the pipe below and sprouting down in the tub. Hot water! What was this miracle? And how did you stop it? Herakles managed to get wet as well before he figured that he could turn the 'flower' in the opposite direction and make the water stop. He tried the one with the blue gemstone on top as well - and found that it sprouted could water!  
>"So you mix a bit of hot and of cold, and then you get the perfect bath," Herakles mused. "What an ingenious thing!"<p>

There were two of those 'flowers' mounted on top of the commode as well, working the same way as the ones over the bath. Herakles also found that the water disappeared down a hole in the bottom of the commode, but that it was possible to plug the hole with a bronze plug hanging on a chain attached to the commode. Finally there was a separate corner with a loo chair, like an outhouse. This one was provided with a pulley which flushed water as well so he could get rid of his wastes in a convenient way.  
>"I wonder who the genius behind all this is," Herakles said to his youthful mirror image. "Hephaestos the manufacturer no doubt."<p>

=0=0=

Later that day a more official introduction was held for a larger group where Zeus made a short speech in which he told anyone who might not know it who Herakles was and why this son of his was worthy a place among the Olympians. It was not about killing lions and other bravado, the King of the Gods saw beyond those quests and presented Herakles as a helper of mankind with creative ideas and negotiation abilities. Zeus had presented his son as a man who most of all had a strife for making the world a better place.

"And we sure need more of that kind around. So let's all welcome Herakles among us today and ever after!" Zeus had finished his speech. There were applause and cheering and after that a formal welcome dinner was held.

Herakles was overwhelmed of course, but there was still something bothering him, something which made him look over his shoulder all the evening. Or rather - someone. Hera.

Finally he went to find Athena and asked her:  
>"Where is she?"<br>"Whom?"  
>"Our stepmother."<br>"She's in Kolchis. Trying to create a safe group to guard the young girl empress whose life is in danger from ruthless cousins who are after the throne. You're worried about Hera, right?"

When Herakles nodded silently Athena went on:  
>"Don't be, Herc! You have more friends than foes here, and if Hera gives you trouble, come talk to me. I can reason with her."<p> 


	5. Hera's daughter

**Hera's daughter**

"The arrogant BASTARD!" Hera roared and threw a pottery plate into the wall so it smashed into a million pieces, her dark brown eyes flaming like hot coals. Somewhat startled, Hebe looked up from her writings and at her mother who was shaking with anger where she stood in the middle of the airy office, her cheeks almost the same colour as her ankle-long dress, and even the ruby gems adorning her elaborated hairdo seemed to glimmer angrily. Her mother could have her tantrums all right, but this was worse than ever. What had now gone wrong? Hebe toyed with her quill as she regarded her mother with a bit of worry in her eyes.

"How DARE he? And without even consulting me?" the Queen of the Gods went on, talking to none in particular, but Hebe enquired:  
>"What happened, mother? Something Zeus did again?"<br>"Head on spot, but how hard can that be?" Hera turned and looked at her daughter who pushed back strains of bright red hair behind her ears. Her young daughter was pretty and even if she wasn't a stunning beauty like some of the other Olympian ladies, she had a winning smile and sparkling velvet eyes and the kind of gentle and caring charm which made people instinctively love her.

"What did he do?" Hebe tilted her head slightly and her eyes beckoned Hera to come over. Her mother crossed the few steps to Hebe's desk and sat down on top of it, gently touching her daughter's soft cheek. Hebe smelled of lavender and of salt water after a swim in the ocean. Fresh and healthy.  
>"He brought another of his bastards up here," Hera began with a sad sigh. "And not just any brat mind you, but the very one who almost drove us apart fifty and two years ago. Herakles! The miracle kid! The one he've been bragging about all the time, even in front of his other children. Like they weren't worth a thing. As if our Harmonios… No wonder the lad is aggressive and only Ares can put a stop to his rages. He feels rejected by his father when there's only Herakles, Herakles, Herakles!"<p>

"Harmonios is doing fine, Mother. He's a war god. Keeping the barbarians up north at bay. Wasn't Ares the same?"  
>"Ares has never been like that! He fights all right but he plays it fair. He never goes for those smaller and weaker than him. On the very contrary to be true. The bigger brute the better! That's Ares for you, has always been. Nevertheless, the only comfort for me, Harmonios and all the rest used to be that Herakles was mortal. With latent divine abilities all right, but still mortal. We thought - we hoped that when he had left this life he would be forgotten. But no, Zeus had to bring him here! And behind my back too. Jus to add another stab in my pride!"<p>

"What can you do about it, mother?"  
>"Nothing. Nothing at all. I can only watch while the brat install himself at Olympos and hear the others snicker behind my back that Zeus never listens to Hera when it matters."<br>"But you ought to do something, mother!"  
>"It's too late; he came here the day before yesterday. I was met by Iris who told me the news as soon as I returned home. She told me all about it. The welcome party, the plans for him to have a house built over at the Narrow Waterfall and that he's staying in the guest wing for the time being. All this has been decided without anyone - anyone - asked if I could have a say in the matter."<p>

"But does it matter where he lives, mother? The Narrow Waterfall…"  
>"Yes it matters. It matters that he lives at OLYMPOS."<br>"Why?"  
>"I feel betrayed!"<br>"But why do you hate him so much?"  
>"I don't hate him, Hebe. It's nothing like that. What I hate is that Zeus keeps going behind my back. That he brought Herakles to Olympos without asking me."<p>

"Perhaps he was afraid."  
>"Who? Zeus?"<br>"Yeah, that you would say no."  
>"As if I wouldn't?"<p>

Hebe breathed in, put down the quill on her desk and folded her hands. What she was going to say now was hard but necessary.

"Mother," she began. "Perhaps this was for the best. Because if Zeus had asked you about his son first, you might have said no and then he either had to go against your outright no, trying to persuade you or regretting Herakles a place here. In any case you had been the mean stepmother in everybody's eyes. The one who denied a young god his family. Or you could have said yes and everyone would have wondered what had made you say yes in spite of your earlier aversion against Herakles. People might wonder how Zeus bribed you or threatened you or whatever. Now you became spared the hard decision. You were left to face the fact, and you can rage a bit and no one will question your right to do so. Then you can get over it and life can go on as before."

Hera sighed once more.  
>"You know you sound just like Athena. That's something she would say. No matter what happens she's always several thoughts ahead of the rest of us. "<br>"Does it mean you agree with me, Mother?"

"No. I do think you're right, but I don't agree with you. Right now I just want to smash some more pottery, then I guess I should go and have a talk with Zeus. He owes me for this, you hear! He owes me BIG TIME!"

0O0O0

When her mother had left, with long strides and slamming doors, Hebe thought about her own situation. She wouldn't be Olympian without Zeus' consent. All right, Hera had accepted a lot more stray children in the household but when push came to show the Olympian family was made up out of compromises. From all members. She had been her mother's stray child, the fruit of a revenge Hera had exacted upon Zeus. Her mother had been brutally honest with that when Hebe had been old enough to understand what had been going on between her mother and stepfather. Hera had also been fast with telling that no matter, she loved Hebe to the bits and that she didn't regret a single second having her. It sure was a strange family the one Hebe lived in. Was it because they were gods or was it because of something else, because the mortals down there sure didn't behave like this. They didn't betray each other and sired stray children all over. All right a few might do, but not to the extent as her stepfather. The ever philandering Zeus was known to combine his royal work trips with one or a few nights with local beauties, wherever these were goddesses, nymphs or mortal women. And this Herakles fellow had of course been the result of one of these trips.

Next notion: Hebe felt that she was curious about Herakles. She had never come across him, she had only heard what Zeus and Athena had told. No matter what her mother had said, Zeus had not raved that much about Herakles. To be true it had really been Athena who had done that. Athena had been following and watching over Herakles from time to time, and she had told about the labours he had performed, the beasts he had killed and the magnificent objects he had brought from faraway lands. Zeus had mostly been willing to listen, with an enduring and good natured smile playing along his lips. Now Hebe felt that she wanted to see with her own eyes who this much discussed newcomer god was.

With her mind made up she tucked away her scribbling tools and changed into a more appropriate peplo and a pair of new sandals. Finally she brushed her hair a bit, tied it back in a knot and put on a pair of earrings Hephaestos had made for her. That would do, she wasn't going out partying, she just didn't want to look like a thoughtless scholar who spent all her time indoors wearing casual clothes. She regarded herself for a few seconds in the full-body mirror, more out of habit than anything else. She knew she looked good and that the jade of her dress complimented her red hair and the emeralds in her ears. She also knew that she wasn't going to win any beauty contests up here, but she couldn't care less. Let Aphrodite, Persephone and Eos compare their looks 'till the stars came crashing down, she sure had more important and interesting things to do with her life.

When she felt all set, she went over to Hermes' since it was there the nymph had told her Herakles hung around at the moment. Hebe had never been one for strolling, when she had made up her mind about something she wanted to get from A to B as fast as possible. Thus she took into the air and flew diagonally from the Queens Office across the Olympic Village and the surrounding pastries and down the slope to the mansion of her step brother. Hermes lived on the very edge of the Olympos plateau, part of the house actually hung right out in the air, the V-shaped building had a peak that shot out from the mountaintop like an arrowhead. When Hephaestos had helped Hermes design that house a few centuries back it had risen quite a few brows, and the comments had varied from "daring and magnificent" to "insanity".

Back then people had either hated or loved it. Although that was before Hebe was born and these days the Olympians had gotten used to the house. Hebe herself liked it. Mostly the bottom floor living room, which was a stroke of genius. You could sit on the glass floor and look right down in the waterfall below, always fearing that your bottom would get wet, so close were the streaming waters. Whatever, right now Hebe didn't care the tiniest bit about waterfalls and views, all she wanted to see was this Herakles. To find out for herself what all the hubbub was about. With that intent she landed right on the doorstep to Hermes, and since the door was slightly ajar, she just pulled it open and went in.

Voices could be heard from the upper floor living room, so Hebe ascended the broad stairs and walked out in the large, two-storey room. There was Hermes of course, and although he and Hebe were only remotely related, they had the same kind of flaming red hair, inherited from the Titan Atlas, who was Hermes' grandfather and Hebe's great-great-great grandfather. There were Hephaestos and Aphrodite, Hermes' daughters Orianthe and Palaistra and Aphrodite's son Eros as well as Selene, Asklepios, Helios' son Phaeton, Pan and three of the muses. Athena sat backwards on a chair (as usual) with her thick, honey blond hair falling over her shoulders and down her back and her pale blue eyes glittering with joy and curiosity. She was talking to a tall, brawny man with a shaved head.

That was a stranger. That was Herakles!

At the same time Athena noticed her friend and made eye contact with Hebe:  
>"Come on over here, Windflower and say 'hi' to this newest member of Olympos!"<p>

The bald man turned around as Hebe started over to Athena, sparing a wave and short hello to Hermes and the rest. And he sure was impressive, this newcomer, almost as tall and broad-shouldered as Zeus, and with the same intense cut of his facial features. This chiseled handsomeness one could see in almost all of the Olympian sons. But it was his eyes that took her breath away. They were burning and restless, and they examined her like she was a silverware. There was also something profoundly sad deep within that emerald. An image of loss, betrayal and grief. Hebe felt herself swallow, and shudder slightly with uneasiness. Herakles must've noted her discomfort because there was a shift in his features, a lift of his brows that she couldn't exactly interpret.

Breathing in trough her nostrils, she said:

"You must be Herakles. I've heard a lot about you. I'm Hebe."  
>"Daughter of Hera?"<p>

Why did that make her feel goaded?

"That's correct," Hebe replied, slightly raising her guard.  
>"And what exactly have you heard?" Herakles wanted to know. Glancing at her stepsister behind Herakles, Hebe said:<br>"Athena've told about your bravery. And the things you did all around the Hellas and beyond. About the Lion of Nemea, about the Cretan Bull and about…"  
>"Oh, come on! That's not exactly what I've had in mind. What have your mother told about me?"<br>"Oh, nothing really, mostly that she was not happy that Zeus brought you here without consulting her."

"Is that so?" Herakles took one step closer to Hebe and instinctively she backed off. "So she couldn't come here to tell me what she think for herself but she had to send an 'emissary'. A stupid little girl to run her errand. Well, I should expect nothing better from Hera."

"Now, listen, big guy! You can't come here and start slandering my mother, just because you have a problem with…" Hebe started before Athena told them both off.  
>"Hey, hey, hey! Buddies! You two are starting it all off wrong! Now, that wasn't really supposed to happen, right?" When neither Hebe nor Herakles replied, Athena went on:" You ought to begin anew and give it another try. I can't believe Hera sent Hebe here, that's not her style, so there's no need for you to be all hostile, Herakles. Hera can talk well for herself if she feel the need to and Hebe is not the one who run her mothers or anyone else's errands."<p>

Herakles shrugged, but he made no attempt to make it up with Hebe. Instead he turned to Athena:  
>"It's not I who have been hostile towards Hera all those years. I will leave that discussion for now though, since I'm willing to forget about the past. I didn't come here to pick fights with dumb little girlies. I was invited to stay and I intend to do that. And if Hera wants something else, she better come say it to me face to face. If she dares."<p>

These words made Hebe steaming with anger. She wasn't taking this shit. She didn't need to come here and defend her mother from some imprudent stranger.  
>"My mother dares all right," she said stepping in front of Herakles once again, eyes smoldering as she touched his impressive biceps. "She's not the coward you for some reason think she is and she has not been at your back the way you seem to believe. But I guess that's typical of your kind, thinking it all revolves around you you you all the time. Like you're some friggin' centre of the universe. Well, I got news for you then, bald old fart - you're not! And if you come here and pick fights you'll learn that you're picking them with the wrong people."<p>

"As if you'd scare me, lass?" Herakles snided in return.  
>"Probably not, but that's because you're a whole lot more stupid than anyone around seem to give you credit for. Then again I'm not surprised, all brawns and no brains."<br>"Then you know little of me, Hebe. Or do you think you have some special talent that makes you read people better than anyone else around?"  
>"What? Do I look like an oracle to you? Well I'm glad I'm not, remembering how you picked fight with Apollo's oracle in Delphi once too. When all she did was giving you bad news. Talk about blasting the messenger! Poor Apollo, He'd..."<br>"Poor Apollo?" Herakles sounded even more arrogant.

At the same time Hebe felt a hand on her shoulder.  
>"Hebe, calm down!" it was Hermes who had walked up behind her. "Athena is right, you two are hitting it off wrong. Herakles' might have an old grudge with your mother but it's not for you to get all worked up about. You are your own person and she is hers, and you don't always have to defend her. As you said yourself she can do that well enough herself. And perhaps she might if Herakles picks fights. But I don't think he will, he did say he was over it, so this is quite unnecessary."<p>

"Whatever." Hebe spat. "Hermes, you know what? I don't give a flea's poo. You can amuse yourself with that big demigod pig as long as you want. I'm so very out of here!" With those words Hebe turned and proudly walked down the stairs again and out of the building. Shaking with anger but also fearing that anyone would see the tears which stung her eyes. She had never felt so insulted in her whole life! All those others who she thought were her friends had just sat there in silence. Not Athena. Not Athena of course, she could always rely on Athena. But the rest! Palaistra! Why hadn't Palaistra said anything to defend her against that stranger who had just arrived here and thought he could say whatever he wanted to her?

No, they had just stood there and behaved like audience. Like cowards with mouths agape like fishes on dry land. No one coming to her defense bar Athena. And Hermes had even dared to... Did he really feel the need to defend this Herakles as a host's responsibility? Well, what about her then?

Now everyone would probably expect her to go straight away and tell it all to Hera. To spill the beans for her mother. And Hebe sure felt she needed someone to talk to but her mother was not the one. She would just say something along the lines of 'I told you so' and then go on telling that it only proved what a dork Herakles was. Which Hebe didn't need to hear. She was well aware of that by herself now. No, there were other people she could go talking to. Special friends. People who wouldn't let her down.

0O0O0

When Hera finally found her husband in one of the palace courtyards, he was sitting in the shadow of a willow tree with a sight-bowl in his cupped hands and a tired look upon his sagging shoulders, as if the burden of Kingship weighted more than ever. She realized that most of her anger had faded and become traded into a kind of melancholy. A feeling of hurt and exposure which was so unlike her that she hardly recognized those sensations within her. The rage and accusations had been replaced with questions demanding answers and she somehow felt like she could have responded to them herself if she just had figured a little bit. Tried to comprehend his reasons. Still she wanted to hear those answers from Zeus himself. She wanted him to explain his reasoning to her using his own words.

As she neared her husband, Zeus looked up from his bowl, sweeping away locks of blond hair which had been hanging in his face. Hera could glimpse some arguing mortals wearing the dresses of nobility in the bowl. Hearing their faded voices, she wondered faintly what was going on there. If it was these quarrels which were etching a deep line between the brows of her husband. But no matter how worried and irritated he looked, she was not letting him off the hook. Not that easily. He had things to explain and she intended to get those answers from him, worries or no worries down in the lands of the mortals.

"Hera?" he asked, tilting his head as he sensed her mood as well.  
>"Why?" was the only thing she could think of saying, stopping a bit away from the bench where he was sitting.<br>"Why what?"  
>"Oh, come on! You know what I mean! Why did you have to bring him here? Without even talking to me before you did so?"<p>

Immediately Zeus grasped what she meant, it was after all expected that she would come to him sooner or later with her allegation. Although he had expected more rage, more temper. Where was the fierce Hera he knew, this downhearted mood of his wife was unfamiliar to say the least - and not just a little discomforting. Zeus breathed in and waved his hand over the sight-bowl, the trial against Lady Medea for kinsmurder could wait. He knew how it would end nevertheless, one didn't have to be Apollo's oracle to figure out that the woman from Kolshis would be considered guilty. She was a foreigner in Argos and she had never been well liked. Earlier Medea had been accused of witchcraft and all kind of absurdities, but it was finally now, when her children had been found dead, people saw a way to really get to her. Zeus put the bowl away and then he faced his wife who had stopped about five feet from where he was seated, spots of green sunlight shining through the leaves and down on her jet black hair and mauve dress.

"Hera dearest, it all went so fast," Zeus began. "Herakles became the victim of the cruelest assassination, and he was dying fast from blood poisoning and thus Orianthe with her special talent found him. She succeeded in persuading him to join the body of the immortals instead of healing him and giving him a second chance among the mortals. Hera, that man was destined to become a god. The latent immortality in his body and soul was strong. Stronger than in most demigods."  
>"But why did you have to bring him here?"<br>"How could I not, he's my blood and who am I to deny him a home? Faithes knows that he has been denied that in so many places."

"But why without talking to me, Zeus?"  
>"Hera, what if you had said 'no'? What would I have done, dear? What had you done if I had crossed your words?"<p>

"You could have persuaded me."  
>"I know. But there was little time and you was busy with yours. Otherwise I would've done so. I know I should've talked to you about Herakles' status earlier, about my wish to bring him here at the end of his mortal life. He deserves it so much. And I know you're not the heartless woman who denies someone his family. Although there were never a good time and I hardly expected his mortal life to end so fast and so soon."<br>"Or you would've discussed this earlier? And thought that I'd be more comfortable with admitting him here then?"  
>"Yes. I actually had wanted you by my side upon his reception. To show everyone that you and I were in agreement upon this. To show especially Herakles so that he'd be more relaxed in your presence afterwards. But you know – the best laid plans and all that..." Zeus shook his head.<p>

Hera regarded her husband's honest face, and superimposed upon it she saw the visage of her daughter. Hebe had voiced almost the same kind of arguments as the ones Zeus was giving her now. It felt almost scary how good Hebe had been to judge either her mother or her stepfather. Or perhaps both. Hebe seemed to have that special eye for people, the ability to judge their characters and see through their superficial words and thoughts and sense what they really meant with their actions. That was something considerably rare, Hera had quite a lot of that skill herself, but it seemed to run stronger yet in her daughter.

"Hera, come over here," Zeus said and held out his hands towards his wife. "Come, let me make it up for you! I feel so sorry for having acted in haste and sidestepping you, dear, but it was necessary. I wouldn't be able to face myself if I had left Herakles with another door closed right in his face. You know it was his wife trying to kill him, and for a false suspicion. She believed him of a betrayal he hadn't committed. She didn't kill him, but she killed his love for her. Broke his heart, Hera! We must... mortals judge each other too fast, and too carelessly a lot of the time. I was watching the trial against Lady Medea as you arrived."  
>"She deserves the capital punishment," Hera cut him off, and glanced over to the silver sight bowl on the bench next to Zeus. There was pain in her voice, Jason, the man who had got his children slaughtered, was a special protégé of Hera's and she cared a lot for him, Zeus knew.<br>"If she is guilty, foremost. Which I am not sure she is," Zeus said and continued to reach for his wife.

Hera sighed, then she gave in and went over and sat down in his lap, letting him caress her as she put her arms around his broad shoulders in return, clutching soft, blond locks in her hands, winding her right hand up through the hair until it came to rest at the back of his head.  
>"Hun," she whispered and he looked up in those beautiful dark eyes.<br>"Yes?"  
>"I accept your explanation, after all I know well what it's like to be deprived of a home. I still remember although I was very young. But don't..."<br>"Let it become a habit, no. I have no more stray children out there."  
>"Is that really so?" Hera raised a brow. And wasn't there a slight smile playing upon her full lips.<br>"You know I have stayed true to my promise since you returned to me."  
>"Yes I do," she replied and leant her head against his, feeling his silky and soft curls tickle her cheek. He was so reckless and thoughtless sometimes, her man, but at least he tried. Tried so hard to do the right thing, and she couldn't help loving him for that.<p> 


	6. The Silent Friends

_AN: Some have been asking me, commenting on the spelling of some names. Well I'm trying to use the Greek spelling of the names as much as possible. Thus Herakles instead of Heracles and Dionysos instead of Dionysus and so on._

_And thanks all for reviews and other feedback!_

* * *

><p><strong>The silent friends<strong>

"So here he is now, walking around and bragging about his bravery and all the deeds he did out there in the realm of the mortals. What a real hero he was, the world just couldn't do without him, when yet another monster came around. And everybody is just eating it up." Hebe said and looked at the Naiads. Her friends had gathered around her on the rocks, unbothered by the pouring rain since they were used to be wet all the time anyway. Hebe on the other hand considered the rain being cold and uncomfortable and she had coated herself in a divine shielding which made her shine like a soap bubble when the rain slid off the magic surface.

The Naiads seldom spoke; they were sea people and most of the time they communicated with a rough sign language. Although for some strange reason they still understood each other all the time. They also understood Hebe's dilemma and sadness. Understood it well. They felt her moodiness as if it was their own, tried to lift the sadness of her shoulders by sharing it. Now Mirna, one of those pretty and agile women, came up to the Olympian and gracefully sat down next to her on the wet rock. Then Mirna stroke Hebe gently over her red hair, tilted her head and looked at her with understanding green eyes in a heart shaped face with slightly greenish-tinted skin.

"Mother will be furious of course. Both with me for going over to Hermes' and for Herakles for insulting me. Then Zeus will be angered too, mostly with mother of course, because she's questioning his precious son. It'll be such a drama. And it will all be my fault."

The Naiad pouted her lower lip and shook her head, the pearls and sea-shells she had adorned her dark turquoise hair with clicked and tickled faintly.  
>"Oh yes, it'll be exactly like that. Zeus and mom begin to fight about something and I get caught in the middle and then I get the blame. So what else is not new? It IS after all Olympos I'm talking about. I shouldn't have bothered with Herakles. And I sure won't do it in the future. He's a big pig and not worthy of my attention. Then again, could I help I was curious? Wasn't it natural to want to check him out myself, after all everybody has her right to her curiosity?"<p>

More Naiads were now gathering around the women, bopping gently in the water while looking upon them with serious faces. The cerulean-haired Mirna made an agreeing not with her head and Hebe went on:

"Sometimes I think it's the curse of immortality, everybody keep doing the same mistakes all over and keep holding grudges for centuries. Keep repeating themselves endlessly. Nothing ever getting better since no one bother with learning from their mistakes. Al right, I'm still young, I'm just half a century old, but I sure can see what has been going on for ages on that mountaintop. And I am so sick of it, I tell you!"

Another Naiad - Selta - wanted to cheer Hebe up and beckoned with her hands, 'come swim with us in the sea instead.' Hence Hebe smiled faintly and thought that 'what the chaos', she might as well have some careless fun this afternoon. She'd be back at Olympos eventually and then she could have whatever discussion with her mother. And with Zeus too. It wasn't the end of the world after all; Hebe was quite used to the arguing between the royal couple. She'd cross that bridge when she got to it and before that she'd better spend some hours forgetting about the disaster at Hermes' and stop worrying about what may come out of it.  
>"All right," she told Selta and the others. "Let's play chase then! I'll come and getcha, so be very afraid!"<p>

Hebe stripped off her peplo and stepped out of the sandals and then she dived down into the great green. When the cold water closed above her head it seemed to wash away her sadness and worries too. She smiled and began to pursuit the Nerieds. They were fast and agile swimmers, but she was faster, because she could cheat a bit, use divine powers to catch up on her friends. So while the hours went by and the rain fell she played around in the waves with her Nerieds and in the end of the afternoon the clouds split and the sun came through. She gazed up and she thought she could see Apollo high up there fixing with the weather. The next moment that golden chariot she'd seen disappeared behind some clouds and she wasn't sure whom it belonged to. Could as well be one of the other sky- and weather gods, like Helios, Aiolos or Eos.

"Mortals thinks Apollo drives the sun", she laughed silently. They were so silly, so simple-minded! The sun was actually a huge gas orb out in the space, larger than the Earth itself – and almost as large as her stepfather's ego. What Apollo really did was calculating how much sunshine certain areas of land needs to flourish, and then he made it happen, often by moving away clouds which sloppy storm gods has left behind. He might be an ally, her thoughts continued. He hadn't seemed overly impressed with Herakles earlier, and he would probably not approve of a bragging muscle bulk who had lived all his life among mortals and who obviously lacked the refinement Apollo appreciated with people.

Then Hebe forgot these thoughts fast because one of the Nerieds attacked her from behind and laughingly wrestled her down under water. Xina, which the girl was named, was not exactly strong but she was energetic and she had got the element of surprise on her side so it took a while for Hebe to cast her off and then get back at her by taking hold of Xina around her slim waist. Then Hebe kicked away and was soon reaching surface again, throwing her friend over her head so that she landed quite a bit away and with a huge splash. Now the day had turned beautiful, with sunshine spilling between clouds and two large rainbows shining out over the sea, one clear and strong and then another, larger one, spanning above the first one, being paler and most of all inverted. It was probably Iris who was the mastermind behind those; she loved rainbows and took every chance and then some to make them. Hebe laughed; she sure loved her extended family sometimes, as well as she hated it at other times. Then she shrugged it off and dived again, this time with the idea of dragging some other Nerieds under water. The game continued…

Later, when they all were tired, they swam out to a couple of smooth, black rocks where they lay down and rested, letting the sun bake their bodies dry and just enjoy each other's more or less silent company. Xina was braiding Selta's hair and Mirna and Keldi played a game with sea-shells and drawn squares on the rock surface. But they didn't stay in the sun too long, a Nereid doesn't feel comfortable getting too dry and the sun rays may damage her sensitive skin. So soon, the sea-dwelling ladies wanted down in the water again, and thus Hebe felt it was time to say good bye for a while, she was expected back home soon anyhow. She hugged her silent friends and then watched them dive down in the water once more before she flew off the rock and back to the place where she had hid her clothes. Then she took off returning home again, although she really didn't want to.

0O0O0O

Herakles stood by himself on the balcony of his temporary suite and looked out over the lovely meadows and woods of Olympos and at the Aegean Sea which stretched beyond and far below. A light rain was falling and the magnificent view showed itself in yet another set of clothes. The gray, washed out dullness which was beautiful in its own way with greens and browns moving about, the sea lead gray and unruly and the land beneath swaying in the winds, rain sliding down on the steep rocks beneath him, gleaning faintly in the dull ambience of the overcast sky.

The others had left Hermes' for their various duties and Herakles hadn't want to overstay his welcome with his half-brother so he had excused himself as well and strolled back home, not really in the mood for sightseeing, even though Hermes had offered to take him around the mountaintop. Herakles had declined the offer politely and now he was feeling a bit bored and useless. Like he didn't know what he was supposed to do with his life, what was expected of him as a god. Of course he could go on helping mortals like before, but it couldn't be that easy. Probably the gods wanted more out of their 'investment' in him. He doubted they would've asked him to come and live at Olympos just so he could continue doing what he had done before. Peace negotiations, you didn't need god powers to do that. There were enough both gods and mortals already who could do such a thing. And returning to his old heroic deed, that was hardly doable. Besides, there weren't that many beasts around anymore. No, the Olympians must want something else out of him.

Athena had hinted at things she thought he could help her with during their talk over at Hermes', but she hadn't made it far before that little annoying girl had turned up. What was her name again - Hebe. Hera's daughter as sure as the sun set in the west. An arrogant and stuck-up chick who had questioned his right to be at Olympos. That look in her brown eyes like he was something the cat had dragged in! He sure didn't need that, especially not from a daughter of Hera. The goddess, who had spent so much time making his life miserable. And now she sent her daughter to continue the work. Herakles definitely wanted to know what the old hag had told her child. If it had become Hebe's role to drive him away from Olympos. Well, she sure wasn't going to succeed in that. He intended to stay, Hebe or no Hebe, Hera or no Hera.

0O0O0O

Hebe sighed and looked at her mother.  
>"I've been with the Nerieds. We played chase and had fun. Nothing particularly important. What?"<br>"Because Palaistra came here looking for you. She was worried about you, she said, and when you didn't answer your door she came over to me."  
>"Worried, why?"<br>"She told me you came to Hermes' this midmorning. That the first thing happening was that jerk Herakles starting to pick on you. And that you ended up running away, in all tears. That's not like my strong daughter. What happened? What did the bastard say to you?"

"Please, mother…"  
>"Please what?"<br>"Don't get involved. I hit it off bad with Herakles. It's my life, I can handle it."  
>"Hebe, don't let him bother you. I'm not going to say 'I told you so' but the man is a scum. He has gotten all the bad sides his father has. And he's using them. But don't let him use them on you, dearest. Now, I suggest you go talking to Palaistra."<br>"She ought to have known where to find me. She knows I hang with the Nerieds from time to time. Never mind, I'll go talk to her. See you around, mommie!"

"See you too, darl' - and Hebe!"  
>"Yeah?"<br>"I love you. Don't let that asshole get to you, you don't deserve his scorn!"

Hebe went over and hugged her mother, she couldn't do anything else.  
>"I love you too, mommie!"<p>

0O0O0O

Every evening there was a dinner arrangement which was welcoming all of the Family over at Zeus' palace. It was considered a chance for people to meet up and to go over the events of the day in an informal way, keeping each other up to date with what was going on or just socializing. Hebe didn't fancy going though. Not tonight, and maybe taking the risk of meeting that chump Herakles again. Palaistra persuaded her into going nevertheless.  
>"If you don't show up tonight, he's winning," she stated with emerald eyes flashing, hands on slender hips covered in the crimson silk of a short peplo and her auburn hair braided in an intricate crown upon her head and adorned with ribbons of green and gold. "Go there with your head held high, Hebe! Show him and everybody else that this is your place! That he can't chase you away from your position at Olympos with a few scornful words."<p>

Hebe had thought it over for a few heartbeats, realizing her friend was right and thus she had followed Palaistra to the Palace of Zeus as the sun began to set over the Olympos plateau, painting the beautiful vistas in orange as the air was turning chilly and crisp, shadows growing longer. They met very few people that evening, most seemed to be outside or away, but a trio of centaurs were flirting friendly and making corny jokes and Hebe and Palaistra mocked them back with harmless innuendos.

"What do you think of him?" Hebe couldn't help asking, meeting Palaistra's green eyes as they started to ascend the last one in a collection of white marble stairs, leading through the terraced gardens up to the Palace of Zeus.  
>"Oh he's - my uncle. Another uncle. And I must say he is a kind of a braggart. But at the same time kinda likeable. I think - some other time, some other place you two would've hit it off better. He's just a mortal you know."<p>

"Not anymore, thanks to my stepfather."  
>"Not anymore, right. Hard facts - the man has turned god. However, in his heart he's still a mortal. And he's uncertain of his place around here. He doesn't know what's expected of him, what to do with his life. I overheard his discussion with Hermes and Athena earlier today. He's so over this hero role. He don't want to be connected with some 'twelve labours' anymore. He wants to receive respect as a man who gives of his brain as well."<br>"Brain, what brain?"  
>"Hebe, come on! You know what I mean. The man is..."<br>"Conceited! Who does he think he is? Athena?"  
>"Athena is one of his great role models, that's true. She helped him a lot when he was young. Now… These days… he has a hard time figuring if he is on equal foot with her or not."<br>"Drivel! He's like this far from Athena!" Hebe indicated with stretching her hands out as much as she possibly could, the textile of her wide dress arms flowing in the wind like a pair of light green wings, golden sequins glittering in the setting sun.

At that moment they had reached the palace of Zeus, and by the Arc de Triumph they encountered a trio of muses: Clio, Calliope and Thalia. The latter looked with curious brown eyes at Hebe and Palaistra.  
>"Who's that far from Athena?" she wanted to know.<br>"Herakles," Hebe replied.

"Oh! That one!_ I've got the Nemeian Lion, I've got the Nemeian Lion_," Thalia mimicked Heracles' deeper voice and Tiryns lilt while dancing around, performing a little war dance. Then she stopped and got serious again. "Well, I heard about how he treated you over at Hermes' today. The punk! Urania told me. Why did he have to do that?"  
>"Probably because he was nervous," Clio's reasoning echoed Palaistra's.<br>"He wasn't nervous. He was just a pap-head." Hebe spat. "Now I'm sick of talking about him. Come, let's change subject to something nicer!"  
>"Yes," Calliope began, green eyes glittering. "Apollo has made this new song about when..."<p>

While changing the subject to the music of Apollo, the five girls crossed the outer garden with its statues and impressive fountain, ascended the broad marble stairs and entered the large fore hall of the palace's Grand Dining Hall. Already there were about two dozen deities gathered, idly mingling about beneath the crystal chandeliers which were burning with multi-coloured divine light. Luckily Hebe couldn't see Herakles anywhere. Over by the bar she spotted her brother Hephaestos and Poseidon engaged in some kind of discussion. Or at least it looked like Heph was trying to convince the sea god of something and the latter seemed amused but like he wasn't really buying it. Probably some new invention, Hebe guessed. A submarine boat or something.

Poseidon was sinewy and athletic, with a body made for swimming and diving and his dark hair was flowing freely around his broad shoulders and a bit down his back. He carried himself as if he was floating in spite of being on the ground. Slow, graceful movements and a meek smile which might have looked uncertain on a man with less self-assurance and strength of mind shining from his intense, green eyes. The sea god was notorious for his shifting tempers, but when he was in a good mood he could be extremely charming. Now he stood there with his hands on his hips and that infesting smile playing around his full lips as if he was going to laugh out loud any moment. Hebe liked the god of the seas, even if he could be peculiar sometimes.

Apollo, Pan and Iris stood a bit away and Palaistra excused herself, she needed a word with her mother. Then she was off almost as quick as Hebe could blink. Being the daughter of the two Olympian messenger gods Palaistra was sanguine like mercury, fast and swift both in mind and movements. And she hardly finished a thought before acting upon it. Sometimes she could become too hasty and it all turned out big time wrong, but Hebe loved Palaistra nevertheless. She was the greatest friend, always bubbling with amazing ideas and initiative and it was never boring or stagnant around her.

Hebe followed the trio of muses up to the bar, and then she found herself talking to Ganymedes instead. Her pal had been down in the mortal world together with Dionysos and he had a lot to tell about wine and wineries and those endless parties which always seemed to be going on around Dionysos. Hebe remembered those days she had helped Ganymedes serve in the bar, that was quite some time ago and she almost missed them. But her mother had told that waiting upon other gods was a job below her, and it was better she came working in the Queen's office instead. As if being a secretary to her mother held more worth.

"So how was your day?" Ganymedes asked. Hebe skipped the part desk with Herakles, as she put her elbows on the mahogany and said:  
>"I've been swimming with the Nerieds. We had a lot of fun."<br>"I can imagine. Lovely beings. I adore what they do with their hair too. You must promise to take me with you sometime."  
>"I sure will! And I bet they'll love you too. They're a bit picky with landside men but I'm convinced you'll pass. Just tell me when you have an afternoon off! I tend to finish my duties before noon so I get the afternoons off."<p>

"Sounds intelligent, Hebe. My duties generally start around this hour. Or a little earlier, takes some time to put it all in order. And then I work until the last drinker has gone home or fallen off the chair."

Hebe begun to laugh.  
>"Just great, Gan! Just great! What do you do with those drunkheads then?"<br>"Over there," Ganymedes indicated a sofa with a nod. "I usually put them there and they can sleep the wine off. And with a bucket on the floor next to them, just in case. "  
>"You must've seen a lot."<br>"Indeed I have! You should've seen Pan and Silenius the other night…" Gan began an elongated story.

After a while Hebe started to feel that prickly sensation in her back that told her someone was looking at her. And it didn't feel comfortable. First she thought it was her mother who disapproved of her hanging with Ganymedes. But no…  
>"Here he comes, Mr. newbie," Ganymedes said with a sing-song voice and brought forward a cup of wine, deploying that special talent of his of always knowing what people wanted before they even asked for it.<p>

Yes it was Herakles. Totally ignoring Hebe he grabbed his cup with a thanking nod to the bartender and then he turned to Helios and began talking with him. Hebe tried not to sigh and roll her eyes and she so wished Palaistra was around. And as if on a cue her friend showed up and grabbed Hebe under her arm, saving her from the eerie company by pulling her away from the bar. In the last moment Hebe managed to grab her drink and taking it with her.  
>"Come, darling," Palaistra began. "You just gotta hear this, I just talked to Aglaia, and guess what…"<p>

Then, just when Palaistra was done telling her latest juicy gossip, Zeus and Hera turned up and led the way into the dining hall.

0O0O0O

Avoiding Hera and Hebe was the smartest thing he could do, he figured. Herakles made sure he came to sit alongside Artemis and Hermes, as far away from his stepmother as possible. Hera's annoying little daughter was sitting with some friends over at the opposite end of the large horseshoe-shaped table. One of them was Hermes' daughter, the athlete and messenger Palaistra. She had also been at Hermes' when Hebe had snapped him off. And still she took her friends side so openly. On the other hand, Herakles thought, that was what girls did. They stuck together! It had always been that way and would always be as long as the sun would rise in the east, the girls acting as if it was them against the world, and especially against the male side of the world. As Herakles looked their way they put their heads together and whispered and laughed and then one of them turned her platinum blond head in his direction. Pandia, a daughter of Selene, if he remembered correct. Now what were these girls brewing? He couldn't help wondering if he would be on the receiving end of that.

Then his luck ran out at the end of the dinner, just when he had finished some idle chatting with Hermes and was planning to call it a night.

"Mr. Herakles" an icy voice was heard from his left behind. Yes, it could be no other than the Queen of the Gods. He turned, facing his step mother, trying his best to look indifferent. Just as expected the queen was glaring at him with contempt in her large, brown eyes. And for some reason he figured she might've been beautiful if she didn't look so stuck up and haughty.

"Yes?" his voice would have to sound unconcerned as well.  
>"I believe you owe an apology to my daughter," Hera stated. "You insulted her rather severely over at Hermes' this midmorning. And everyone is talking about it."<br>"I insulted HER?" Herakles asked with emphasis upon every word.  
>"Yes you did. In a quite uncouth way. I guess I should expect nothing better from somebody like you, but you were welcomed here and it's expected that you behave accordingly."<p>

"You didn't welcome me, Hera."  
>"That matters little." The Queen responded. "I had no say in the matter, to me you're just another fist fighter Zeus brought in because he think he might have use for you. I personally wouldn't call you welcomed. Or unwelcomed either. Whatever I don't tolerate people who affront my children without reason. You might dislike me, I couldn't care less, but my daughter doesn't need your disparagement."<br>"Madam, listen here now. I know there's little chance you believe in me when it's what I got to say against the words of your precious daughter, but it was actually she who fronted me, telling me more or less outright that I was not welcome at Olympos."  
>"And what did you say to her to make her tell you that?"<br>"I didn't…" Heracles began before he got cut off.

"Hera! Herakles!" It was Zeus arriving together with Athena. "Are you two creating another little drama? Yes, I couldn't help notice your risen voices. Now tell, what is troubling the two of you!"

Thus Zeus got to hear what had happened over at Hermes earlier in the day. From Herakles' mouth this time, although Herakles was positively sure his father had heard it earlier, from Hera certainly. Luckily Athena had been there too and she was soon letting up her clear, no-nonsense voice, telling her version of the event. When she did it wasn't just a Herakles versus Hera thing. Her perspective was clear and refreshing even to Herakles.

"Two people getting snared up in their prejudices," Athena stated and nodded her head at Herakles. "We all know what it means to fall in that trap after all. Now let's entangle those snares and give these youths a chance to start all over again!"  
>The next moment, Herakles noted with surprise that Hera was listening with an open mind to what Athena had to say. The queen didn't seem all that biased against him. Or was it just clever acting her side? No, Herakles was convinced he was better at judging the character of people than making that mistake - even when it came to the gods. They weren't all that mysterious, at least not when you became dropped down right in the middle of them, just like he had been.<p>

"Very well, " Zeus said when all were finished. "Herakles, you and Hebe got a bad start, and I guess you both were at fault here. I can imagine the strain upon you, Herakles, in a strange environment, trying to get to know a lot of new people at a time. It's tiring for the soul. Yet it doesn't excuse bad behaviour, even if it can explain it. And sadly first impression often lasts. Still, I think Athena is right –you two deserve a second chance. A chance to start over and behave a bit more civilized towards each other. Both of you have everything to gain from that, and so do the rest of us. So what do you say, Herakles? Hebe's over there where Apollo plays his music. Let's go there and make better things happen, son!"

Herakles couldn't argue with Zeus, silently he nodded and then he became pushed in the direction of Apollo who was playing music over in a corner by the upper stoa, surrounded by a dozen or so of Olympians including Hebe and two of her friends. Athena caught up with him and followed as a supporter, which felt fine. The young god really felt like running away though, but a glance over his shoulder told him that Hera and Zeus were trailing behind, and Herakles knew he had to finish this or he'd lose his face. On the other hand he had never been the one to run away from difficulties and he sure didn't intend to start now.


	7. Little Warriors

_Both **Dicaeosyne** and **Enyalios** are obscure gods, with no real myths connected to them, and I decided the use them and also taking the liberty to change a few things about the former. Dicaeosyne (_daimona_ of justice and righteousness) might be a dauther of Zeus, althoug it's nowhere stated, and in my story she'll be daugther of Auxesia instead, and thus Zeus' granddaughter. Enyalios (the warlike) appears briefly in the Iliad. The myth of **Phaeton** has been changed slightly and in my story he's a god. _

* * *

><p><strong>Little warriors<strong>

Hebe put down the bow and the quiver and felt sweat trickle down her back in little annoying rivulets. It was getting warm now, the sun beaming down from a cloudless sky and the shadows were almost as short as they would become this time of year, not even the trees surrounded the arena seemed able to provide with some cooling shade. On top of that not the slightest of wind was moving, which was rather unusual on the mountaintop of Olympos.  
>"Let's call it a day, Dicaeosyne. You're improving, and although I know I'm not half a good teacher at archery as Artemis is, I can tell that you're going to be good at this if you just keep practicing."<p>

"I want to become better than Artemis," Dicaeosyne said and fixed her intense, blue eyes at her aunt. Some flaxen strands of her hair laid plastered to her sweaty forhead and cheeks, yet the young girl didn't seem the slightest bothered with the heat. Auxesia's daughter was nothing like her mother. Instead she adored her uncle Ares and wanted to become a warrior. Thus she wanted to learn all kinds of martial art, while her mother's gardening bored her. So Auxesia had given her a choice. If she could become really promising in at least two war disciplines within a year, she could chose war as a divine career. Dicaeosyne had picked archery and Hand-To-Hand combat, and now she was pleading with all Olympians with suitable skills to take the time to train her. There was nothing wrong with her incentive at least.

Hebe had caved in and offered some archery training, just because she knew how hard it was to be forced into a line of work you held no fascination for. She wasn't that found of her secretary work, but she was glad she hadn't ended up with the nature gods. Planting crop, trees and flowers and taking care of errant dryads and nymphs was everything but her cup of nectar. Nevertheless she still hoped for some more outdoor oriented career. Hence Hebe held all her fingers crossed that Dicaeosyne should succeed in her chosen disciplines. Hebe's brother Ares was to become a judge of that and although he could be a harsh, he was never unfair.

Now they were both standing down at the end of the shooting range, picking arrows from the target dummies, Dicaeosyne trying to figure out if she was pleased with her deed or not. She was slender if not outright skinny, even if she had started to get some atlethic shapes lately and she had the fair colouring of the Ethruscean god who was her father.

"Well if you want to outshoot Artemis we'll have to practice a lot more."  
>"Then why do you quit now, Hebe?"<br>"Because I have other duties waiting for me. Besides, its' better doing shorter and more frequent hours of training. I suggest the same hour tomorrow. Right here. And we may…" Then Hebe noted that her niece had lost attention, and the next second Dicaeosyne called out:  
>"There's Herakles. He can train me in hand to hand now when both Athena and Palaistra are busy."<br>"You think so?"  
>"I'll ask him. After all he's good at these things!"<p>

Absentmindedly Hebe turned and looked at the powerfully built god. His hair had grown out again, during his first year at Olmpos and these days he wore those blond locks tied back in a ponytail very much the way Hermes did it. He came together with Enyalios, the son of Ares and Enyo, and they were carrying broadswords.  
>"He seems a bit busy," Hebe said to no one particular. She still felt uncomfortable around the brawny son of Zeus. Thinking back she remembered how he had offered her his hand that night in the Palace. She had taken it after a few seconds of doubt, accepting the truce. But it had changed nothing really. They were still hardly on speaking terms and they did all they could to avoid each other, even if they were both playing the game of politeness these days.<p>

That didn't bother her niece the slightest though. Dicaeosyne was still that age when grown up's grudges seemed more like a game of nuisances than something to be taken seriously. That age when you solved a problem, sometimes a bit violent, but always very instant - and then you were over it. So while Hebe and Herakles did their best to let their interaction become nothing more than a polite nod, Dicaeosyne was at her maternal uncle with an almost pleading request that Herakles would teach her some Hand-To-Hand.

"Dicaeosyne," Herakles said with a patience Hebe recognized from her own voice. "I have an appointed class now with your cousin Enyalios. We will be fencing for a little bit more than an hour. After that I'll see. But you are welcome to stay and watch if you like. "  
>"I think…" Dicaeosyne said "…is fencing easy? I mean easier than Hand-To-Hand?"<br>"It's a completely different discipline," Herakles responded. "Have a look at what we are doing, see for yourself!"  
>"You can't fence, girlie," Enyalios said with a sour voice.<br>"And just what do you know about that?" Dicaeosyne snapped at the younger boy.

Hebe decided to let Herakles handle the children and bade her good afternoon's, mostly directed to Dicaeosyne.  
>"Hebe!" Herakles called out. Surprised she turned.<br>"What?"  
>"I'm just curious, what do you know about martial arts disciplines? Save for some archery?"<p>

Oh, he was going to belittle her in front of the children. Great, she though. She would not let him have that pleasure though.  
>"Ares is the warrior of the family," she replied with an icy voice. "Although I know quite a few things about magic warfare. The kind of things the gods deployed against the Titans some 800 years ago. Fire balls, High-velocity rock-throwing, illusion spells, gravity drops, bio-spells, time-space tampering and initiating of quakes and avalanches. These kind of methods. On the other hand I don't think that knowledge belongs in the modern world. It's quite dangerous and can lead to disasters of unbelievable magnitudes in the wrong hands. We almost destroyed the world fighting the Titans. These weapon do best tucked away in secrecy, only available to a few."<p>

Herakles refused to letting himself be annoyed by Hebe's snidy and lecturing voice.  
>"Athena told you so?" he asked.<br>"Some of it. But I do agree with her. With no Titans around we don't need powers like that. Mortal warfare is fairly enough. Now I have things to attend to, good afternoon, Herakles."

When he looked at her there was something in her eyes she couldn't interpret and she quickly turned her back and started walking out of the training ground. Behind her she could hear Herakles starting to introduce Enyalios in today's training.

0O0O0

"He's quite mignon!" Dicaeosyne said while swinging to and from on the almost horizontally growing branch of the old oak.  
>"Who?" Hebe asked, turned and went over to the window to look at Dicaeosyne who was sitting right outside it in the large tree, newly washed off after her training and dressed in a sky-blue chiton with golden threads. An amethyst tiara was holding back her blond curls from her pretty face and she sure didn't look like a warrior at the moment. Now, Hebe was getting quite used to Dicaeosyne's way of popping up everywhere and everywhen and dive right into a conversation, so she rested against the marble window sill, urging for the girl to go on.<br>"Herakles of course. I did tell you that he taught me quite a few Hand-to-Hand tricks that were new to me. I bet even Ares will be surprised to see what I can do now."

"You think that's - mignon?" Hebe said, the foreign word feeling a bit strange upon her lips. "To knock another person down?"  
>"Oh, don't be so righteous, Hebe!" the younger girl told her off. "You've been fighting quite a bit with your hands too over the years. Didn't Ares teach you too to…"<br>"That's not what I meant." Hebe sighed. "What I meant was… ah forget it!"  
>"That you don't approve of anything Herakles says or does. Hebe, I don't get it! Why can't you two stop disliking each other? All just because some harsh words the very first time you met. It's just so stubbornly stupid, build a bridge and get over it, will you!"<p>

"Dicie, it's not about that," Hebe protested. "It's about… It's a bit hard to explain but there are certain people you simply don't get along with. The chemistry is just wrong. So no matter how hard you try it's never going to work. Better then to not hang around each other because you'll only start arguing. Then, I don't really know what he's doing at Olympos. Zeus brought him here, that's true. But for what purpose?"  
>"Well, he's a great teacher."<br>"At fighting, yeah. But how many war gods are we going to need?"  
>"I guess he can teach other things too. The thing is that he listens. Even to youngsters like me. Well so do you, but not many of the others. Especially my mum who just wants me to grow tulips and lilies. And Athena is so busy these days. So if Herakles has some time for me I'm more than lucky."<p>

"Great to hear then," Hebe said, trying to box the subject but Dicaeosyne went on talking about fights, trainings and Herakles. In the end Hebe found herself listening to her niece with quite an interest. Dicaeosyne burned so hard for what she was doing and she talked with such a fiery and vibrant passion that Hebe almost felt she was there too, felt the sun burning upon her neck and the dry sand entering her nose. And most of all she heard what Herakles told about fighting. It didn't sound all that wicked and brutal she had to admit. Especially when it came to those parts when you had to judge if you should fight yourself out of a dilemma or chose other ways of solving it. That was something he according to Dicaeosyne had a hart time fit into the head of young Enyalios, who was fully intent on the idea that the solution to all problems laid at the business end of a sword.

0O0O0

"WAR? Huh, what is it good for?" Palaistra asked, almost humming out the enquiry as she turned around and checked out herself in the full-body mirror, holding out her arms and spinning one more time. Then she was pouting her lips and pushing up her hair in a very Aphrodite-like manner as she met the eyes of Hebe, her emerald gaze bouncing of the clear glass of the mirror and locking on Hebe's brown.  
>"Honestly, I dunno," Hebe responded where she sat on the coach with legs pulling up beneath her, regarding her friend trying on some new dresses. "I like the purple one best," she changed subject.<p>

"I guess not even Ares knows." Palaistra changed it back. "Perhaps Athena."  
>"Yeah perhaps Athena," Hebe tilted her head. "Perhaps Athena is the one to ask what war is really good for. And why it holds so much allure to all kinds of different people. Especially the kids. Dicaeosyne, Enyalios. Yeah Athena is the one. Definitely. Too bad she's not at home at the moment. I guess You'll have to be content with Ares then."<br>"What is it good for? Absolutely nothing." Palaistra continued to spin around as she slipped out of her cerise dress and reached for the purple one again. "Belt to go with purple? Earrings? Necklace?"

"Silver, Lapis. You've got one of these belts I know. With the linked eternity figures with lapis in the middle. So war is good for absolutely nothing?"  
>"That's my honest opinion at least. It's just pure destruction. Killing and maiming. Fear and sadness. The belt with lapis on is broken. And I cannot fix it."<br>"Perhaps it's good for boosting some people's egos. Take the belt to Heph!"  
>"And have it on the bottom of his long-long fix list. It'll be there like forever and a day. No thanks. Yeah war is an ego boost, that'd be it. Glad not everyone is like that. Heph makes a cute little music box playing Apollo's latest. That boosts his ego. Much better! Although I wouldn't mind having my belt done as well. Why couldn't more gods want to be engineers by the way?"<p>

"Beats me. Perhaps it's because they don't want to hang around in dusky workshops. Or get stainy clothes."  
>"As if warring don't give you that. BLOOD stains too. Eurgh! Can't think of anything more revolting really. And it ruins almost everything, especially if you don't get the blood off in time. Especially divine blood. That ichor in it gives really nasty stains. You know these stains turn green after a while?"<br>"Nope, had no clue. Must've been a reaction with the oxygen. I think I'll ask Athena one day."  
>"Ask her about the stains too!"<p>

"I will. If I remember. You know, I just give my dirty laundry to the nymphs and then I don't care."  
>"Lucky you! I've been down in the mortal world and had to do it myself. Turned out I didn't know which magic manipulations to use. Had to do it the mortal way. Soap and water in a sink. Took an eternity. Not to mention drying it! I had to hang the stuff up in a sunny place, and you know the sun move away after a while and there I was moving the clothes, made me feel like a complete jerk."<p>

"Darn! Poor you! I'll have to learn a trick so I don't end up in the same situation. Meanwhile I'll give Ares a try."  
>"But he…"<br>"Ought to provide me with some reasonable explanations at least. As to why Dicaeosyne seems to be so into it. She can't wait to marsh off into battle."  
>"Uh-hu, that's peculiar, Hebe. I'd guessed my cousin to be more reasonable. But then again, you never know with people. Especially not with Olympians. Always a strange lot."<br>"Haha – you got that right. Try the belt with the sapphire violets then. But hurry, or we'd be late for dinner."  
>"You know me and clothes."<br>"Yes I know. I'm actually surprised that you're not late more often than you are, dear Lastrie!"

"Perhaps it's an acquired skill," her friend grinned. "Nevertheless you ought to have a crack at the mortal world a li'l bit more, Hebe!"  
>"And wash my clothes on my own?"<br>"No, that's not exactly what I mean. But learn other things. See things. Get a perspective. And forget about this place for a while. It always feels nicer being here when you've been away for a couple of months. Or years."  
>"Perhaps," Hebe responded noncommittally.<p>

0O0O0

As Hebe and Palaistra entered the palace of Zeus they could hear risen voices coming down from the large hall on the second floor. Mostly it was Helios, but they heard Zeus, Apollo and Helios' son Phaeton as well.  
>"Now what?" Hebe asked as they started ascending the broad stairs.<br>"Blokes at each other's troths again." Palaistra shrugged. "Some kind of territory fight, probably related to weather."

"It's not the way it's supposed to be done, true!" Apollo growled where he was standing opposite of Helios, his fists balled and his chin pushed forward. "But can't you see it was a mistake, Helios?"

"A mistake," Helios replied where he stood with his arms crossed and tried to look intimidating, a bit hard when he was about two inches shorter than Apollo. On the other hand, Helios was quite a bit more powerfully built and although he was usually in a good mood, he could appear really fierce when angered.  
>"Yes, a mistake!" Phaeton replied where he stood more or less hidden behind Apollo. "Of course I didn't plan to..."<br>"Plan and plan," Helios replied. "Planning isn't all. When you drive a chariot across the sky and do delicate weather manipulations it doesn't do to ogle at mortal girls at the same time. Especially if you end up such that you cannot control the chariot. Crashing the chariot, setting a forest, two fields and half a village on fire is not the way to do things!"

"What's up?" Hebe asked of Selene as they neared the group.  
>"Phaeton lost control of his chariot," Selene replied. "Crashed it a bit outside Sparta. Killed a couple of people at the impact spot and then a bit more in the fires he caused. And some 150 dryads were left homeless in the forest fire."<br>"Fires? How could he cause fires with a crashed chariot?" Palaistra rose a brow in enquiry.  
>"He had a can of phlogistolon on board. To disperse clouds without emitting rain from them." Selene explained.<p>

Meanwhile Apollo was defending his apprentice but Helios was not having any of it. He grounded his son, telling him he was not going to be let up in a chariot again until he had learned the basics.  
>"But I already do know..." Phaeton began.<br>"No, you do not!" Helios replied. "Apparently it hasn't stuck with you. At least not the parts about 'safety first', about how fragile mortals are and how we always have to keep unrequired interaction with them at a minimum to avoid unnecessary things like this to happen. They cannot know that a god of Olympos did this or we'll be considered reckless and cruel and then we'll have to re-earn their trust. The mistakes of Prometheus and Pandora cannot be repeated."  
>"But father..."<br>"You heard him, Phaeton," Zeus said. "You start all over with the security basics. Apollo had to do damage control down in the village you almost destroyed and he'll have to take over your duties starting tomorrow. That's certainly not what he expected from his apprentice."

"Wait..." Now Apollo was pleading with his father. "Let Phaeton fly with me. I'll show him how it's done!"  
>"Didn't you do that already 150 years ago?" Zeus asked.<br>"Actually 180," Apollo replied.  
>"Then that should be enough. Helios is right. Running a chariot across the sky carrying weather managing tools demands full concentration!"<br>"I wasn't..." Phaeton began.  
>"I don't care if there were girls or other things distracting you. What matter is what you caused. End of discussion!" Zeus said and then he turned around and walked up to the doors to the dining hall, pushing them open, his whole body language signaling that the final word was said in this matter.<p>

"I didn't know weather could be this _exiting_!" Hebe suddenly heard Dicaeosyne next to her.  
>"You see, it's a tough discipline," Selene said. "You really have to know what you're doing and be concentrated on every single little entity. There's so many things which can go wrong otherwise. Just a little slip and you may create a disaster."<br>"Like Phaeton today?" Palaistra nodded at the humiliated son of Helios.  
>"Or worse." Selene said. "Besides, girls, doing weather at night, like I do, is even worse. The nature is more unreliable during the dark hours. More magic forces going on. More unbiological beings moving about. Less visibility in the normal range. You have to do infra most of the time, and that's rather tiring." Selene rubbed her eyes for effort.<p>

"Is it hard to learn?" Dicaeosyne asked.  
>"You bet. Here we talking about lifelong learning," the moon goddess replied while they started heading towards the dining hall.<br>"You haven't changed your mind about war?" Hebe asked of the young goddess as Phaeton glared at his father and then turned and left, walking in the other direction than most gods. And while his angered steps disappeared down the stairs, Dicaeosyne grinned:  
>"No way!"<p>

0O0O0

That night, after the Olympos Family dinner, Hebe caught up with Ares.  
>"Wait!" she called out. "Can we talk a while?"<br>"Yes?" her brother turned. He looked tired and also a bit irritated. She knew he had been having a pretty bad argument with his parents over some war somewhere. They had found it too bloody and too cruel and wanted him to put a stop to it. Ares had claimed that he was winning and Zeus had threatened to send Athena to finish it all if he didn't do so himself. And everyone knew that Athena could beat her little brother almost everytime she wanted to. Everyone, including Ares.  
>"Are you too going to nag me about the war in Feresnia?" He looked his sister over with dark and frustrated eyes.<br>"No, Ares, I'm not. I just want to know certain things."

"Like?" Hering the sincerity in Hebe's voice Ares understood that it was real. She was not after him for the same reason as his parents. He stopped and showed with his whole essence that he was listening.  
>"This war business. Why does it attract people so much? I mean everyone knows it's bloody, dirty and harsh. Cruel and ruthless. And yet everyone wants to be a part of it?"<br>"You're thinking of li'l Dicaeosyne?"  
>"Yes."<br>"Well, she's one of those dreamers. I've met so many of them over the centuries. Dicie dreams of brave deeds, glory and excitement. Adrenaline kicks. And face it, Hebe, these things are sure to be found in a war. Still all people can't handle war. Many don't have what it takes, far from it. That includes gods as well as mortals. You have to have not only the skill but also the guts to face war and to win in war. You must know yourself and you must know your enemy. And you must be able to turn off a lot of emotions, almost all higher emotions, and act upon your basic instincts."

"You don't think Dicie has what it takes?" Hebe asked.  
>"I don't know - yet." Ares said. "I'll need to..."<br>"She has it, Ares!" a well known voice was saying from behind at the same time. Both brother and sister turned around and faced Herakles, who stood in the lamplight, the pale orange and lime flames of divine fire colouring his chin and cheeks. "Trust me on this, War God, Dicaeosyne has it. I've been training her for a few months now together with your son Enyalios, Ares. And the girl sure is hardworking and energetic."  
>"Herakles, it takes more than being 'hardworking and energetic' in war. "<br>"I know, I've been in a few."

"And I've been in a lot. It's when push comes to show a soldier is being tested. If she can show or if she gets pushed. Herakles, I guess you're aware of the risk that those who seem to be the best in the training ground and on maneuvers might freak out completely facing the real thing and end up worthless. Some people you really can't judge until they're out there in the hot shit for real. Until they look into the eye whites of the enemies in earnest."  
>"And that's your opinion of Dicaeosyne?" Herakles asked the God of War and took two slight steps towards them.<br>"I have no opinion at the moment," Ares responded, refusing to even bat an eye at the threatening body language from his half brother. "I just told Hebe that I need to see more of Dicaeosyne before being able to come up with any kind of judgment. I'm not going to rush a decision with a niece of mine. Of ours, Herakles."  
>"And what does Hebe say?" Herakles wanted to know.<p>

Hebe almost flinched at those words and wanted to melt into one of the long shadows darkening the path between the lamps. What did Herakles want to know from her? And how did he plan to scorn her over her opinion this time? Hebe glanced at Ares but there was no help to be found there. The war god thought everyone should be able to fight their own battles, now he just stood there with his arms crossed and looked idly at Herakles and her. So Hebe straightened her back, tried not to show how she was bracing herself.

"I think Dicie has a real talent as an archer," she began. "She can concentrate and focus even when there's a lot of fuzz going on around her, and her aim is really good. If she should fail as a warrior I bet Artemis would want to recruit Dicie into her hunting crew."  
>"But as a warrior?" Herakles insisted. "You said you knew quite a lot of magic warfare. Then you must've learnt the basics about war too, like what it takes to become a good soldier. So what do you say about Dicaeosyne?"<p>

Hebe hated the way he pressed her on, and she had a hard time not snapping at him. Instead she replied:  
>"She sure has the spirit. The burning desire and the strong will. But as Ares said, that's not all it takes in that kinds of dog eats dog world. And I'm not sure if her inclination is TOWARDS war or AWAY from gardening, which her mother wants to push her into. Just today she asked Selene about weather, no doubt intrigued by the notion of driving a chariot across the sky, carrying phlogistolon and other magical and alchemical substances and compounds. Perhaps she's just doing a Persephone."<br>"Doing a Persephone? What's that supposed to mean?" Herakles asked. His surprise was genuine and even Ares looked a bit confused.

Hebe looked a second at a dancing firefly, letting the men wait on purpose. Then she explained:  
>"Persephone was almost forced into her mother's business as a young woman. She had no inclination towards nature and growth at all back then and she ran away, took the first chance there was to escape from something she didn't want. And that happened to be Hades on one of his rare visits up here, a pure coincidence I swear. Been another day it might've been Poseidon she'd hitched a ride with and she might've ended up beneath the waves instead of down under. Now it almost ended in disaster both for her, for Hades, for Demeter and a few others. It was my mother and Zeus who had to prevent the worst from happening. But later on Persephone came to terms with what she really wanted. She matured quite a bit during that short year to say the least. And this 'commuting solution' she's living with now might be the one that fits her best."<p>

"'Commuting solution' – you sure have a way with words, Hebe!" Ares smiled at his sister and Hebe smiled back before going on:  
>"What I mean is that Dicie might not be that good at war if all she's really doing is running away. Using the war business as an excuse for not having to plant another flowerbed of roses. Perhaps she needs to figure that one out before she starts engaging in anything else. Like war."<br>"On the other hand," Ares said. "It's never too late for a god to change career. You might not know this, Herakles, but our father was the storm god who turned war god and then a politican and elected king."

But Herakles hardly looked at his half brother. His eyes were completely set on Hebe and they were burning with something she couldn't read.  
>"So Hebe," he challenged her. "What do YOU want? When will YOU leave your mother's business and do what YOU want to do with YOUR life?"<p> 


	8. A little less conversation

**A little less conversation**

"So Hebe," Herakles had said. "What do YOU want? When will YOU leave your mother's business and do what YOU want to do with your life?"

"When I know what I want." Hebe had almost said. Instead she had replied something casual and then the dear Ares had finally decided that it was time to bring in the enforcements. He had managed to turn the conversation away from both Hebe and Dicaeosyne simply by asking about his son. How Enyalios was doing. Herakles had taken the bait and began to discuss his young pupil instead. Who said that Ares was not a strategist? May be that he wasn't so found of clever and elaborated solutions as Athena. Ares' ways were always more straightforward, and most often they worked as well.

Hebe had listened a bit to the men, then she had excused herself and bid her goodnights and made a quick exit, returning to her home and almost slammed the door behind her, leaning against the frame with a sigh. That Herakles, he sure had a way of always showing up at the least convenient of times, like when she wanted to talk with her brother. On top of that he had the most annoying and persistent way to always make her upset with his probing questions and those eyes of his which always seemed to want to burn themselves into her soul. It was as if he couldn't wait to exasperate her. And for what reason? Was it really just because she was Hera's daughter? Hera had told very little, but as far as Hebe had come to understand, her mother had not exactly been glad when Herakles was born, proving that Zeus had broken his matrimonial promise for what time in order nobody knew. It had almost torn their marriage apart, so of course Hera was not happy with having Herakles around as a constant reminder of those painful years. But why should she, Hebe, have to be on the receiving end for that animosity?

The goddess shrugged, she guessed there was nothing she could do right in this matter besides avoiding Herakles as much as possible. One day he might come to term with the fact that she was the one she was and that he was the one he was and he'd learn to live with it. Thinking these things over, Hebe finished some minor to-do's and then took a warm and solacing bath. About an hour later she was lying in her bed, looking at the silk of the canopy slowly wavering to and from in the soft wind coming in from the open window. The late August night was hot and ripe with flagrances, and a waxing moon was painting the oak leaves outside the window in pale silver. The crickets and frogs were calling out for possible mates and here and there she could spot a firefly.  
>"Everybody in the animal kingdom seem to be out there looking for love," she said to herself. "Is it just we, the people, who rather look for wars?"<p>

She turned around. Sleep was evading her. What had Herakles really meant? It couldn't be all about making fun of her. There had been something else in those green eyes when he had enquired her. Something like her opinion actually did matter. And why, she sighed, couldn't she stop thinking about it? After all she didn't give a damn about what that stupid brute of a man thought about her, wasn't it so? Hebe turned again, slamming her fist into the pillow this time and sighing out loud. What was wrong with her really? As a matter of fact, she did have too many more important things to think about to let Herakles bother her.

O0O0O

On the other side of Olympos, in his home by the Narrow Waterfall, Herakles was also troubled by failing sleep. He had chosen to sit by the windows looking out over the fall, listening to its white noise and trying to figure what tonight's talk had really been about. Dicaeosyne and war had been the obvious subjects. But there had been undercurrents there as well. Unspoken expressions. Shifting in minds and manners. Things he had a hard time dealing with. He had been at Olympos now for almost a year and a half, and he still found this place hard to deal with. These divine people complicated and multi-leveled and full of unvoiced thoughts. Why had Helios grounded his son Phaeton today while Apollo had defended him for instance? In the mortal world it would have been the other way around. Was it this strange view of pride and piety again?

He remembered Ares' hand upon his arm when Hebe had left.  
>"Be careful, little brother," he had said, raising a brow. Only these words. But they had been potent enough. Ares was sincere. Besides, he had understood even more than Herakles himself at that moment. Herakles, who still felt he had things to figure out. Like why he was troubled by Hebe's reasoning about Dicaeosyne. Hebe had been snappy and lecturing of course, that was not really surprising. He had asked for it after all! But why did he have so hard to let that wash off himself, this reaction sure wasn't like him. Cursing, the young god rose from his position and went over to the boudoir, splashing cool water in his face before putting on his cloak, heading out in the warm night with no obvious direction in mind.<p>

Thus he was both confused and surprised when he found himself outside Hebe's pretty and neat little house almost on the other side of the mountain top. Her home wasn't grand and imposing like most of the other gods and goddesses, instead it was more cozy and inviting, a small two-storey building with almost half the second floor consisting of a large terrace with potted plants and merely smouldering orbs of divine fire, there for decoration rather than banning the darkness. There was a light burning in a window on the second floor and his new, still a bit unhoned senses, told him that the inhibitor of the house was still awake. So now what?

O0O0O

She had almost started drifting off in dreams, when something startled her. It wasn't that usual 'slip and fall' dream she seemed to have now and then. Who everyone appeared to have now and then, gods as well as mortals and nature beings, by the way. No, this was something else. Hebe felt a - presence. First it seemed almost like someone was inside her room or at least inside her house. Then, when she shook sleep from her mind, she felt that there were thoughts focused upon her. And even though these thoughts were coming from the outside they were so persistent that they had felt like being right next to her. Dicaeosyne? she thought. Had the girl had a nightmare again? No, this was not her niece. Neither was it Palaistra who wanted one of her night talks, the thought pattern was quite different. And definitely - well male! Hebe rose and went over to the window.

Looking down on the moonlit path outside her garden fence she spotted a shadow, someone who in an instant backed in beneath a three. Someone who wanted to remain unnoticed. But she knew… Herakles!

O0O0O

Hebe caught up with him halfway across the meadows. She caught his arm in a firm grip, and even if he knew he was the god of strength, Herakles understood that there was no getting away from her now. He couldn't shake her without hurting her, and that he had no inclination to do. Hebe spun him around:  
>"What is it you want really, son of Zeus?"<br>"I want - perhaps - to apologize."  
>"Apologize for what?"<br>"For being a jerk. I had a problem with your mother. That didn't include you. But when you approached me over at Hermes' that afternoon I thought it did. And when I understood it didn't, I was too stubborn to admit I had been wrong on that account. And I guess I pushed it too far."

Hebe looked him up and down, using her divine night sight. And she was uncertain of what she saw. She bit her lip, took a second before replying:  
>"Perhaps I was stubborn too, Herakles. Perhaps there's something in the water. Still…"<br>"Still what?" Herakles met her looks. She had her mother's dark brown eyes, in spite of that she was so different from the regal and haughty queen. More raw and down to earth. Unpolished and genuine, and slightly easier to see trough. Not the most self-assured being. She was young and still struggling with her identity, although in a more concealed way than little Dicaeosyne. And there was something about her that made him feel almost - protective.

"I dunno," she looked down and made a movement with her foot in the grass, dew glittering on her clog. She suddenly sounded like a little little girl. "Well I do know, but it's a bit hard to explain."  
>"Hebe?" he said. "I came to you because - I seriously wanted to apologize. Although I didn't know what to say so I turned around and split. That's so unlike me. I have never run from anything in my life."<br>"Well it's never too late to start," Hebe looked up and let up a husky laugh, not at all the tiny giggle he had expected. No, that laughter sounded almost like Hera's, self-assured and strong. "You know what, big guy? Let's leave all this crap with our parents behind and start anew. Hi, I'm Hebe!" She held out a hand.

"We've already done this," Herakles said.  
>"Pah, none of us meant it and you know it. It was only because there were Zeus and Athena and Apollo and all the rest hanging around wanting to see some kind of polite exchange from our side so that they could at least pretend to stop worrying about the two of us, that we didn't get along. But you know with this place – Olympos - there's always bla bla bla, and very little action really."<p>

"So you want more action?" he asked.  
>"Yeah, and a little less conversation."<br>"Sounds fine by me. Hi, I'm Herakles."  
>"Hi Herakles. And pardon me but good night too. I guess I'm going to need my beauty sleep after all. Tomorrow I'm off to Cyprus. I'm seeing a few people there about a school for children with special talents. I've promised to help them get the school up and running and to hold off people with prejudices against these children and this kind of educations."<p>

"What kind of special talents?" Herakles wanted to know, admitting to himself that he was curious.  
>"Children with - how should I say it - almost godlike powers. They might be a new kind of breed. And they have been getting into trouble because regular mortals fear them and consider them as freaks."<br>"I know what it's like," Herakles confessed. "Been there done that too. When I was a kid - with my supernatural strength I used to scare people. But Hebe - I can talk about that for hours, yet I guess now is not the time. I'll leave you return to your bed now instead."

"Perhaps some other time."  
>"Yeah some other time. Good night, Hebe." And then Herakles did something that surprised both of them. He bent down and kissed her hand. A little less conversation. He kind of liked that!<p>

O0O0O 11 years later O0O0O

Herakles stood outside the Academeia's large, blue-painted iron gates and looked upon the classic white marble building on the top of the low hill. He had to confess it had taken him quite some time to get his ass over here. To see for himself what Hebe's new project was all about. In fact he had seen very little of Hebe over the past years. Their encounters had been polite and pleasant but always brief. Yet these days it was not because of anyone really wanted to keep the interaction down to a minimum. But Hebe was busy on her account and Herakles had been doing his things. He had followed Ares into war. First as a coach and chaperon to little Dicaeosyne. Then he had found his old fighting spirit awakening again, and he had helped his half brother quite a bit more. He and Ares had been off on campaigns which had taken them far east where veiled people rode magnificent horses and fought with curved blades. From them Herakles had brought home not only horses and exotic weapons but also marvelous treasures like thick and colourfully patterned carpets and amazing gold work.

When those years were over, he had been approached by another half brother - Dionysos. He had been having problems with bandit gangs threatening his wine farmers.  
>"And I don't know anything about fighting, Herc." the dark-haired and kind man had confessed. "I can protect my farmers and their crop against drought, pests, parasites and flooding. But I can do nothing against marauding gangs. Please can you give me a hand in this? I could've asked Ares and Athena but they are busy elsewhere and..."<br>"No worries, bro' I too hate those gangs who prowl around and make life miserable for honest people. I'll help you for sure." Herakles had promised.

Thus he had spent almost seven years driving away those evasive gangs from the areas where the faithful of Dionysos grew their grapes. It had been far from easy since the gangs had large forests and rugged, rocky mountains to hide in. The project had been more of a chase than a war to be true. A hunt, in which he used advices from his sister Artemis. When he had finally got the chance to engage the outlaws they turned out to be badly armed and not really fighters, with made them rather easy to beat. Those bands mostly consisted of old war veterans and orphan youngsters who had to choose a life as criminals to survive. And perhaps while romancing a life of adventure which really didn't exist other than in the songs of the bards. And while these bands had been a terrible threat to peasants, they were no match for Herakles and his handpicked mortals.

During these years the young god had to admit that he had been having a lot of fun too, together with the god of wine and his followers. Because if there was anyone who knew how to throw a party it was Dionysos. And Dionysos' maenads were always up for merrymaking and all of these women seemed to absolutely adore the brawny and blond brother of their chosen god. Consequently Herakles had got laid even more than back when he was a young mortal with a REPUTATION plastered all over himself.

He had also taken his time befriending his half brother Hephaestus. The engineer god was a fascinating man with a brilliant mind always full of ideas. He had shown Herakles all kind of inventions, some amazing trinkets like self-playing instruments to be used by Apollo to make backing tracks, glass-lenses mounted on tubes so you could see far far away, even further than your divine sight let you, tiny time measuring instruments, chariots propelled by steam and other remarkable things. On top of that Hepahestos was investigating the magic realm as well, working on better tools for seeing beyond the dimensions and beacons to prevent mind travelers from getting lost. One of the novelty things he was most proud of was something he called a Warpinator.

"A what?"  
>"A Warpinator. It warps the time-space beyond any magic shield and thus it can help you travel anywhere. Perhaps even go backwards or forwards in time, although I'm not sure of that yet. My calculations say it's possible while my mind says it's bullocks. Anyhow, all you have to do is to think of your destination while activating the Warpinator and you'll be taken there almost in an instant. Whatever might be in the way."<br>"Astonishing!"  
>"Yes. I'm even positive it can take you out of the Tartarus, even though I'm not inclined to try that empirically."<p>

"You never stop impressing me, Hephaestos."  
>"Good. Here, take it!" Hephaestos had pressed the small ring in the large hand of Herakles. "I'll need someone to test it for me, since I don't really have the time. "<br>"If you think I'm going to the Tartarus..."  
>"No, no, bro' just play around with it a bit and let me know what you think!"<p>

In consequence Herakles' way to Hebe and her school became a quite a bit of a roundabout. So it was not without excitement he arrived that early morning in the late of fall. The sun had barely risen, its still orange rays were painting the treetops and the ornate iron fencing, glistening off dew on the last remaining orange leaves on the trees. In spite Herakles could feel that there was quite a bit of activity going on inside of those high, white-chalked walls. Students already being up and about with their day things. Funny, Hebe never seemed to be a morning person back at Olympos. But perhaps it was here, where she could excel in her own right that rising in the morning felt more tempting.

The son of Zeus sent out a mental call, directed at his fellow Olympian, and it didn't take long until the goddess showed up by the gates. When she unlocked and pushed one of them open he became surprised that she came down here herself instead of sending a servant. She looked absolutely gorgeous, he found as well. She was wearing a simple, knee-long moss green peplo which complimented her flaming hair and dark eyes and she simply radiated health and happiness. The only jewelry was a pair of yellow pearl earrings and a golden ankle ring, so different from the Olympian style of decorating yourself from top to toe.

"I'll keep your visit here secret for a little longer" she told when he asked. "I want it to be a surprise that you will come seeing the children. They know something special is going to happen today but they don't know what. I want to see the look on their face when I introduce you to them. You know quite a few of them are looking to you as a kind of idol."  
>"Really?"<br>"No faked modesty here, Herakles!" Hebe beamed. "You know as well as I that you left quite an impression as a mortal and that you keep on doing so after acquiring godhood too. For people like this who are - well, different - you are and will always be a role model. The man who made it against all odds. The man who in the end even became a god. Come on, I'll show you around."

She hooked her slender arm around his large and started up the hill. The first rays of morning light were chasing away the mists between the trees in the park and there were birds, flying leaves and autumn flowers everywhere. A bit away Herakles noted children tending bushes and other greenery and in another corner he saw a white haired teacher practicing with his pupils. It looked like they were performing martial arts in slow motion. Herakles rose his brow and Hebe, who had followed his glance, replied to his unuttered question.  
>"It's called Qi. The flow of life," she explained. "We immortals can feel it naturally, how the vibrations of Earth and all living things flow inside of us, charging our chakras and boosting our energies. Tuning us to the general condition of the planet. We way sense how the rays of the sun feed our souls as well as our bodies and how even distant celestial bodies can affect our mood and feelings. Mortals have to practice to become aware of it though. This is what Sensei Qum is teaching these kids."<p>

Herakles didn't comment on these foreign words. Instead he thought back upon his first days as a god. How strange those forces had felt to him. How it had felt like something inside of him had been turned on and tuned in. Like a flick of a switch on one of those strange machines Hephaestos kept in his workshop. Almost like walking out in the pouring rain and feeling water for the first time, but without the discomfort of being soaked. And to be able to drink it, to slake a thirst he didn't even know he had felt until then.  
>"Do mortals know how to open up their chakras?" he asked Hebe. "At least I didn't know it until I became deificated."<p>

"Some can learn it. Although it's not like with us, they don't do it naturally, they have to practice really hard and long to even become aware of the existence of their chakras. Even though they are right there." Absent-mindedly Hebe trailed with her right hand up her body, touching down at the chakra points as if counting them. When she finished with the crown chakra he noted a little bright, yellow spark flying from her finger. Divine power shortcutting and manifesting itself into electricity.  
>"I knew nothing about the chakras as a mortal, it was first after coming to Olympos I became aware," he admitted. "Then they just – well, kicked in. They scared me first to be true. I wish someone had told me about them earlier. It must be better learning to get to know them slowly."<br>"I don't know, I've felt them my whole life, so I have nothing to compare with, what the absence would be like. It would be like - being without arms perhaps."  
>"Perhaps," Heracles said. "I've never really thought of it until now, but lacking an arm – then you know you lack something others have. When I was a mortal I didn't fell the loss of the chakras because I didn't know about them. That you could 'have' them. Feel them."<p>

The son of Zeus cast a last glance over the shoulder at the man Qum. He was old and skinny, frail-looking at first sight in his pale indigo dress and long, white beard, but there was a powerful strength radiation from him. Not physical though, but spiritual. The man was tuned into the flow of the universe almost like a god and it impressed Herakles a lot. This, he knew, he had to learn more about later. Tearing his eyes away from Qum Herakles let Hebe lead the way through a portal, across a cobblestoned courtyard and into a large room where children of all ages between five and seventeen were beginning to assemble, sitting down on long benches.  
>"It'll soon be time for the morning gathering." Hebe told. "Then I'm going to introduce you. You'll have to say a few words of hello to the children, and be prepared that they'll ask you a lot of questions."<br>"Fine by me," Herakles said. "I love children and I'll look forward to meet this bunch. It'd be interesting to know why everyone have such a problem with their existence."

Hebe gave him a smile and a squeeze at his arm, then she walked up to the centre of the podium and looked out over the assembly. Erect and with her hands on her back she looked like a softer, more gentle version of her queenly mother but with the same sparkling strength of will. The buzz of chatter almost instantly died down when the goddess showed that she was about to speak. A few latecomers sneaked through the doors and sat down in empty spots way back. Herakles recognized Qum and his Qui practitioners among those.

"Good morning all my friends," Hebe began as soon as the audience was settled. "Today is a special day at the Academeia. Not only will we hold a music contest tonight, and not only will the Falcon Team meat the Bear Team in the first football semifinal. We also have a special guest here today. A man I guess all of you have heard about, a renowned and magnificent hero who has come all the way from Mount Olympos to see you. Let me introduce to you Herakles!"

Almost blushing the hero turned god rose to a roaring cheer from the throats of slightly more than 300 youths in the room. He found it a bit strange that he never got used to be the centre of attention. After all he had been there almost all the time for more than 60 years now. On the other hand he was, just as Hebe had said once, a man of a little less conversation, and a bit more action. That was why his speech to the children consisted of just a little bit more than a polite hello and a confirmation that he was glad to be able to visit the school. But glancing over at the seat where Hebe had sat down between two of the teachers, he noted that she was pleased with his introduction. For some reason it touched his heart. More than it really should have.


	9. The foundling

**The foundling**

Herakles' reception at the Academeia had been overwhelming. The reaction of the children, when they had learned who was standing in front of them, was priceless. They were so in awe and were expressing such joy that it reminded Herakles of when he had been at the height of his popularity wave, after the capture of the Cretan Bull. It was the same roaring cheers and the calls of his name, the teachers having quite hard to keep their pupils in order, they had all more or less wanted to storm the podium, and only Hebe's kind but firm voice had managed to restore some of the order in the large gathering hall. When his voice was finally able to be heard without rising it too much, Herakles had held a short introduction, telling the children that his reason for visiting was curiosity, that he always had loved children and that he would stay for a day and see how things worked in this school.  
>"I have already seen some interesting things I want to have a closer look into later," he told. "And I will visit some of the classes and other events to see and learn how it works here."<p>

After the ending of the morning gathering the hero had not unexpectedly been surrounded by children and youths who all wanted at least a word with him. There were questions asked and pleas that he would tell about his famous adventures, and Herakles had done his best explaining to the children what he intended to do. He was repeating that he wanted to listen in on a few classes and that he planned to stay both for the ball game and the music competition. And perhaps after the evening meal he could tell some stories about his heroic deeds. After a while the teachers had to order the children away from the divine visitor and rush them off to their classes, even though Herakles could tell that quite a few of the grown-ups rather wanted to stay and converse with him too. He promised himself that he would take his time and try to talk with as many as possible of the youngsters and the teachers during his stay here.

Then, finally, Hebe came up to him with a charming smile playing upon her rosy lips, brown eyes glittering like nuggets of gold.  
>"You did great! If you ever tire of being a hero and chasing down bandits and warlords, you could become a great teacher and tutor. Have you ever considered such a career?"<br>"In fact I have. You do know I trained some of the children of Olympos in martial arts. Now, when they are grown up and there are no children around back home, I find myself missing the task. As a mortal I did similar things as well. Martial arts and physical training. I really enjoy teaching, children are fascinating and I learn as much from them as they learn from me."

"I know, I found out the same a few years back. Found my calling you might say."  
>"I can tell, Hebe. You're a natural. Like Poseidon in the water! And I'd love to give it a try as well. To teach!"<br>"Then what would you think if I proposed to you to..." Hebe begun. Then she changed focus, her eyes strayed from Herakles and off to the left.  
>"Iaskar," she said. "What are you doing here? Why aren't you in class?"<p>

Herakles turned and spotted a small, swarthy boy who was lurking halfway hidden behind a worn old cupboard. The god immediately knew the kind. This was the outsider, the bullied one, the one who tended to stick to himself, mostly because he had been betrayed so many times before that he didn't dare to trust anyone but himself. Didn't dare to even try to forge friendship.  
>"I wanted..." the boy barely whispered "I wanted to speak to Herakles too."<br>"Come over here, lad!" Herakles beckoned Iaskir. The boy looked hesitant for a few moments, regarding the immortals with suspicious coal eyes. Then he rounded the cupboard and walked over to where Herakles and Hebe stood.

Herakles reached out, wanted to ruffle the boy's tar black and unkempt hair. But Iaskar backed off, eyes widening slightly. Now the hero understood that this was a boy who resented touches. Probably because most of those he had got over the years had been of the hostile kind. So Herakles withdrew his hand and asked:  
>"What might you want to know then?"<br>"How you... did it?" Iaskar said.  
>"Did what?"<br>"Became the strongest one. The bravest one. The one who was unafraid enough to take on a beast lion. Or a hydra?"

"Bravery has nothing to do with being unafraid but rather with conquering your fear." the god replied. "And about the strength, it's mostly about practicing. Training and keeping the body in firm fit. Minding what you're eating and never skip an exercise class."  
>"I'm no... the others won't even let me into the gym," Iaskar said.<br>"We have a problem with a group of young teenagers here." Hebe explained. "We try our best, but it's when we're not looking things are happening. In the boys room, in the dorms, the sauna bath house and similar places. We can't be everywhere, even though I've wish we could."

"They're awful!" Iaskar whispered. "And Kelsir is the baddest of them all. I wish I was strong and mean. I wish I could beat them 'till they bleed. I wish I could kill them all, that they all died with their skulls smashed against the floor." The last was said with a blaze of hot anger in the formerly so timid voice. And Herakles felt that this anger was something he could work with, even if he didn't approve of the desires Iaskar was expressing. There were other ways to direct angers though. Things Herakles had learned young Enyalios back at Olympos, before the man went out and become a War God for real and followed in his father's footsteps.

"It seldom helps to beat people up," Herakles explained. "They'll only come after you with a desire for revenge. That was something I learned perhaps too late in my life."  
>"Not if they are dead they cannot," Iaskar replied.<br>"No, but others can come after you in their stead," Herakles said. "A vendetta like that is easy to start but quite hard to end. "  
>"But what to do then?"<br>"You can always become stronger on your own. I'll show you some things you can do to acquire strength without going to the gym. And an easy way to start, which you don't need my help with, is to start running."

"Will that - help?"  
>"It'll build up your fitness and endurance, and make it easy for you to acquire other things later." Herakles told. "But I guess you should get off to class now and then you and I can meet later in the afternoon and I can show you the things I promised you."<p>

O=O=O

"Are you sure about this?" Hebe asked when Iaskar had left. "The boy is - well, a bit hard to deal with. To be true most teachers have given up on him too. It's not just the other kids who are giving him a hard time. Sometimes I wonder what I should do with him."  
>"He needs something and someone to boast his self confidence." Herakles replied. "Do you know anything about the lad's background, what could have caused such a distress in such a young boy?"<br>"Ah, very little" Hebe confessed. "He was a foundling. Priests of Apollo brought him here about three years ago. He had been left in the temple. He was barely five years back then and suffered from total withdrawal and amnesia. Sat mostly for himself in a corner and talked very little. And his body was scarred by abuse. Scars, bruises and burn-marks. Several fingers had been broken and not healed correctly, and I had to break them up and set them right again. I can't even begin to guess what he must've been put trough. And the priests couldn't keep him as a novice since they didn't know how to handle him, so they sent him here. They said they believed he had Titan blood in him."

"Titan" Herakles spat. "That's the usual derogative. But the Titans have been extinct for..."  
>"I'm not so sure about that," Hebe replied. "There are rumours about lingering ones living up north, in the land of endless winter nights."<br>"But could anyone have come here, you think?"  
>"Yes, perhaps one of them did. And perhaps he raped a woman of Hellas. Poor Iaskar being the result of that assault. And the mother then taking out her anger and frustration upon the poor kid before not coping anymore and dumping him at the altar of Apollo."<br>"Sadly I can imagine something like that, " Herakles sighed. "Nevertheless, I'll give Iaskar the little help I can offer later."  
>"I'm outright thankful for that, Herakles. Now, let me find you something to eat, you must be starving. Then I'll show you around."<p>

O=O=O

They started at the canteen where Hebe asked some of the kitchen personnel to get Herakles a breakfast of ham, cheese, bread, figs, goat milk, eggs and juice. And while he ate Hebe drank the juice she felt content with and told more about the school, about what they taught and what the children did when they weren't in classes. There were a lot of spare time activities to engage in, everything from sports to theatre and music. Heracles was impressed with the order of everything, his step sister seemed to have both a holistic perspective and an eye for details. And she seemed to have found great teachers and other personnel to man the Academeia with.

After Herakles had eaten Hebe brought him outdoors to show him the arena for athletic classes, the theatre, the fruit and the herb gardens and the fields where cows and sheep graced.  
>"We are mostly self sustaining here at the Academeia" Hebe explained as they walked alongside a shack where a small group of children were collecting eggs from white hens, overlooked by a young teacher. The woman looked no older than twenty yet she seemed to take her role very serious and she greeted the gods with a polite bow, ordering her wards to do the same.<br>"We got quite a lot of eggs today, Lady Hebe!" she smiled while she looked up. "It'll be enough not only for omelets but for some cakes as well."  
>"That sounds wonderful" Hebe smiled. "Thank you, Asakara."<p>

Then they met an older man with a limping donkey.  
>"What happened, Ius?" Hebe wanted to know.<br>"He misstepped." Ius told. "I have warned earlier about those loose bricks in the ground over at the stables but nothing seems to be done."  
>"I'll see to it," Hebe promised. Then she kneeled down and with a tender hand healed the injured animal.<p>

"There's quite a lot for you to do here," Herakles figured when they ended their tour with visiting some classes, teachings of philosophy, math, literature and history. "Now I understand why we hardly ever see you at Olympos these days."  
>"Yes, I know." Hebe replied. "And I do miss my family. Although here I feel needed. Here I feel that I'm doing something that matters in the long run. Getting the chance to direct this place is the best thing that ever happened to me."<br>"Really?" said Herakles, raising a brow.  
>"Yeah, really." Hebe said without giving anything more away. Instead she nabbed an orange flower from a tree and inhaled its flagrance with a pleased expression.<p>

"How about love then?" Herakles had no idea why he asked such a question, but he guessed he was just curious.  
>"Oh, there's been some men," Hebe shrugged uncomittedly. "Although never anything - real. Or perhaps it's just me who haven't been receptive enough. But when he comes around he comes around. I think so at least. And then," she giggled "as a goddess I don't have to be in a hurry. Not like poor Lydda in there who teaches math. She's 35 and she feels that she has become too old. It must be strange, I can't really relate to such a feeling."<p>

"As a mortal I can," Herakles responded. "There's so little time and so much you want to do. So stressful! You never feel content, always like you've missing things. These days I finally feel I can do what I want to and take my time doing so without having to rush through it. I can stop for ephemeral experiences and knowing the other things I have to do will still be there when I finally get around. Like coming here for instance. Still, I lost my mortal family when I ascended into godhood. I missed my daughter's wedding and my grandchildren's arrivals. I also lost a son and was never there to say fare well. But still - one day - I want to raise new children. Divine children. And then I'm going to do it better than the last time. Not repeating my old mistakes."

"You did mistakes? You who seem so accurate?"  
>"It wasn't always like that."<br>"What happened?" Now it was Hebe's time to be curious.  
>"I was seldom there for my family when they needed me. I was away too many times, stayed away too long and returned only to find that I had become a stranger in my own house and that the kids hardly knew me. I was just that visitor who went by the epithet 'daddy'. It seemed that not even Deianeira knew me anymore the last decades. She stopped believing in my love for her because I was never there for her. She had to take care of sick children and bad finances all by herself while I was away somewhere playing hero. That was when I started to resent myself and to regret that I hadn't paid more attention to my beloved ones instead of being so occupied with my reputation. On the other hand if I didn't travel and help people I'd never get paid and we wouldn't have been able to live even in the inexpensive way we did."<p>

"Oh, poor you!" Hebe could see the pain in his green eyes at that moment, and that image pierced itself right into her heart. There was something in Herakles' voice, in his stance that made her wanting to reach out and touch him, comfort him. But the moment didn't last long, Herakles broke the spell by shrugging and saying:

"That was back then, there's nothing I can change about it now. I guess that one day I'll get another chance and then I'll do it better."  
>"I know you will," Hebe heard herself. It sounded so daft but she couldn't come up with anything better to say. Blushing she changed subject and walked along with Herakles to the library where she and her colleagues had been gathering books for years and years. It held nothing compared to the library at Olympos or even Athena's collection of books, but in spite Hebe was rather proud of it.<p>

O=O=O

Later that day Hebe and Herakles saw The Bear Team defeat The Falcon Team in the football game and then Hebe had taken him to visit the enigmatic Sensei Qum and Herakles had got the chance to learn a bit more about the exotic teachings the old mortal was doing. The extraordinary knowledge he carried with him from his home far away in the east across the mystery snowcapped mountanis. Qum was not a man of high stature, he could be but five feet tall but he radiated something powerful in spite. Strength, endurance and wisdom of a kind Herakles had not known earlier. Qum's face was spotted and wrinkled with age and his strangely slanted eyes held irises which were so dark that you hardly saw the pupil. As a contrast to that his hair and beard was white as snow and thick in spite of all other signs of high age.

Herakles had asked about the practice with the slow moves and Qun had replied it was all about existing in the now, to feel and to take in the power of the nature and the living and growing things.  
>"Are you aware of the Earth Lines?" a surprised Herakles had asked Qum.<br>"I am aware of the force of life." Qun said. "It is there within us as well as all other living things. It is all tied together with a stronger force than any of us can imagine. Trees, animals, humans - and gods, they are all bound and connected by the same ribbons of energies." Qum had said.  
>"But - can you sense this somehow or is it more like a philosophy? A teaching?"<br>"Is there a difference?" Qum had smiled, coal eyes twinkling as if he found the god's question quite funny.

"Well... of course there is."  
>"No, it is not. It is just about levels of understanding."<br>"How do you mean? I'm not sure I follow," Herakles had confessed. This sounded even more complicated than those things Athena used to talk about late in the nights after a lot of wine.  
>"You do understand, son of Zeus," the man with slanted eyes had said. "You understand if you just open up your mind and let it come to you."<br>"But how..." Herakles wrinkled his brow, trying to find those elusive words which avoided his tongue. Then he drew breath and started anew:

"Master Qum! When I was but a mortal man, I was not aware of the strong streaks of energy which run across the world, I wasn't aware of the field of force surrounding every living thing and how they can interact, even on a far distance. My mind was dull back then, my senses slow and limited. But then I reached apotheosis, became a god and travelled to Olympos. There I started to see things, to feel things which I hadn't been able to percieve before. I started to realize that there's so much more to the world than what meets the mortal eye. But you, sir, you seem to know these things in spite of not being a god. What opened your eyes and made you see?"  
>"Long research. Extensive meditations, studies and concentration beyond what most people endure. Especially here in the west where everyone seem to be in such a hurry all the time."<br>"Yes, you're right, we are. I seldom stay long in one place. " Herakles confessed.

"And why is that, you think?" Qum asked.  
>"I... if I don't move on, I become restless. It starts to itch - that's the best way I can describe it."<br>"Herakles," the old man said. "Let me give you a word about that, something to help you with the itch."  
>"Of course!"<br>"You may not understand it yet, but when time comes - think of the trees."  
>"The trees? You mean the dryads?"<br>"No, the trees themselves, Herakles. They have a lot to teach us about patience being rooted in one place their whole life."

O=O=O

After that it was time for Herakles to go and keep his promise towards little Iaskar. To try to help the boy acquire some pride in himself. Meanwhile Hebe went up to her office on the top floor of the main building. She was aiming to finish some administrate work, but she found herself having hard to concentrate. Her thoughts kept returning to Herakles as she sat there by her desk, toying with the quill. The life this man had lived, the hardship and difficulties he had been trough as a mortal. The way he had been forced to fight himself a place in the world. The labours, the heroic deeds everyone kept remembering him for, they were only the tip of the iceberg. He became renowned as a hero, but it was no easy path which had brought him there.

On those crossroads of life he had chosen virtue over vice plenty of times, Hebe understood. And what for? To prove himself? And to whom? To Zeus, his immortal father? Hebe knew, that Zeus was the kind of man who had been having children all around the world and most of the time he never even seemed to be aware of the existence of these offspring. Especially not the so-called demigods. They became easily forgotten when the King of the Gods was busy ruling the world. (To be true it was different these days, Zeus tried so hard to stay true to his promise to Hebe's mother, but Hebe wondered if her stepfather didn't stray now and then nevertheless.)

Herakles had so wanted to be seen, to be accepted, to fit in. But among the mortals he was always the demigod. The revered and the feared but hardly the loved one. He had scared people with his strength and his tempers. And how was it really among the gods? Was it the same at Olympos? Did he remain the outsider up there too? Her mother still kept referring to him as 'that demi-god' and the muses were joking behind his back about the 'big dumb muscleman'. On the other hand Herakles appeared to have made friends with Athena, Ares and Dionysos. And what about herself? The more Hebe thought about it, the more she realized how much they had in common, she and Herakles. They had both always been the outsiders, the ones who had been forced to assert themselves and fight their way in. Yet it was more than that. Something she couldn't put her fingers on, an alien and prominent feeling, like a vertigo in her guts. A - what?

O=O=O

That night Herakles returned home to Olympos with a strange mix of feelings in his belly. First of all there was Hebe, she was flourishing beyond description in her school, so different from the obstinate and sourly woman he had met when he first had come to Olympos. Back then she had more or less lived in the shadow of her mother and perhaps resented herself for it, even if she didn't dare to confess that to herself. These days Hebe had taken the leap off Olympos and found herself a place in the world. She had developed what had been there inside of her all the time, a will to care and to help, to teach and to organize. She had created this magnificent place and filled it with great resources from all over the Hellas and beyond. She really deserved all praise for that, and Herakles was glad he finally had taken the chance to go there and to see it for himself.

Then there was this mystery Asian Qun. What had he meant when he had asked Herakles to think about the trees? Now, this was more than just the mumbo-jumbo some so-called wise men used to blab about, this was something important, Herakles could feel. But he was not sure what.

Finally there was something else grating at his nerves. It was this boy - Iaskar. First Herakles had thought that he was just another bullied boy, another of those who needed a real boost of the self confidence. But then Herakles had spent the promised hour with the boy and shown him how you could use what nature offered as a gym as well. Lift boulders and do arms-up from a branch of a tree. It was then he really saw how the boy had become an outcast, why the other children resented and avoided him and didn't want him around, why they had appeared abusive against him - and the suspicion which woke inside of Herakles was scaring him.


	10. Kidnappers

**Kidnappers**

Less than two weeks later Hebe woke up in a haste from a nightmare. Sweat was chilling her back and wetting the roots of the hair at the back of her head and she had a nagging, foreboding feel inside of her as she felt her heart rush in anxiety. The moon was almost full and since Hebe never used blinds, it shone into her room trough drifting ragged clouds and the whole air primed of approaching bad weather. And not only that. There was something else in the aether. Something strange and outlandish that her divine senses picked up and which made her get out of bed and put on her sandals and a thick woolen tunic over her night gown.

Parts of her dream were reappearing: _Ares swinging a heavy axe, its large blade shining with a lethal, blue glow.  
>"It's Adamantine" the god of war said. "It can kill a god."<br>"It doesn't really kill" Athena replied. "But it severs the soul from the divine body and sends it down under in a way very similar to killing. And the effect might very well be the same if you can't retrieve that soul fast enough. Or worse, since it's almost impossible to find a soul lost on the lower levels. " _

_The goddess of wisdom was standing on top of a staircase to a magnificent temple-like building, large burners flaming on each side of her and casting eerie shadows and glows. She was dressed for battle, red-crested helmet covering her head and most of her face and she carried a large spear in her right hand. She looked dangerous. Lethal.  
>"Zeus can retrieve those souls," Hebe heard herself say.<br>__"If he bothers," Ares replied. He was war-clad as well, and he looked like he wanted to fight his sister._

_Then the image had shifted fast, she had seen Ares fighting Titans with that axe. Hordes of Titans coming for her brother.  
>"Ares" she had screamed, trying to drag him away only to find that she could not reach him, nor could she touch any of the Titans, who for some reason seemed to not even take notice of her. Athena had disappeared and with her the strange temple she had been standing in front of.<em>

_Then the image was shifting again and it was not Ares but Herakles fighting the beasts. Now the blade went from adamantine to regular steel and it snapped and fell to the ground. Then the hoards were attacking her friend from all sides.  
>"Herakles!" she yelled this time.<em> That outcry was what had waken her.

Afterwards the uncanny feeling of lingering dread didn't want to leave her the way bad dreams usually did a few moments after waking up. Not even splashing cold water in her face helped, the dream didn't want to go away. Hebe conjured up divine light in her palm and followed her instinct out of her suite apartment on the top floor of the major building of the Academeia. She descended the three stairs and walked through the sparsely furnitured entrance hall, footfalls echoing in the dead silence of the night. Next Hebe opened the wooden double doors and went outdoors and down to the pupils and the students' dorms. The night was chilly and almost unnaturally quiet, the only thing heard was the breakers against the rocks down by the shore and a hunting owl's call.

The youngest pupils of the Academeia slept nearest the main building in an L shaped, two-storey house, neat and cozy if not overly fancy. Hebe could have opened the locked front door with her divine powers but normal courtesy had her using the keys instead. In the hallway of the dorm the bad feeling grew more prominent. The air almost reeked with the sense of something being wrong. Energies being distorted in an almost tangible way.

Hebe shone her light across the normally so cozy room with its sofas, tables and chairs where pupils could sit down a bit between activities. The place looked oddly forlorn now in the middle of the night with not a soul around, not a sound to be heard. There was a book left on a table, a forgotten ragbear in a sofa. As the goddess crossed the floor a cold draught was eddying around her bare legs, making her feel even more lonely and moody. In the distance she heard thunder, but it was not the rumble of her step father, neither was it caused by nature itself, but had its root in the disturbances of magic used the wrong way. The wile and bad-hearted way. Hebe shuddered under the presense of bad energies which were so strong that they were even disturbing the mortals, giving them nightmares too, even if most of them would not remember what they had dreamt in the morning. Hebe however felt the energies of night mares in the building and she really wanted to stop and sooth the poor children. But now was not the time.

Iaskar slept on the ground floor, almost farthest away from the entrance. As the goddess pushed the door open she _knew_ what to find in there. Or to - not - find.

Correct, the narrow window was open in the small room, curtains fluttering in the wind which had picked up fast and the boy's bed was empty. On the other side of the window his room mate Aursenticus was tossing was tossing and turning in a disturbed sleep, and Hebe laid a hand upon the young boy's forehead, calming him mentally. At the same time she wondered where Iaskar may have gone, and why. She knew that she would almost be the only one to bother. Nobody else would miss that poor lad. Not even Herakles had liked him, he who always was so patient with outsiders otherwise! She remembered how Herakles had given Iaskar a try the other week, but he hadn't seemed to be able to reach the boy. Whatever Hebe still felt that the boy proved a kind of challenge. She so wanted to be able to get through to him one way or another and give him a chance to bound with another human being. Levitating out of the window the goddess begun to follow the boy's soul pattern, almost like a hound picking up the scent. She felt the first drops of rain falling on her face and sneaking themselves in a cold and annoying way between her tunic and her neck and spill down on her back.

Hebe tried to pinpoint the boys intentions, figuring out where he was planning to go, what he was planning to do, but she realized as she went farther away from the Academeia that his soul pattern seemed to change, to become less human and more like - something else. Something almost - frightening! Oddly enough the boy seemed to have been _flying_. Or rather, she reckoned, those who had taken him away had been airborne. Those, who's faint, swirling and popping energies she felt dimly around her. Shivering Hebe wondered who or what those beings could be. No ordinary gods of her kind, of that she was certain. The next instant she had felt it behind her, a millisecond before it came for her, something dark and huge diving down from the sky. Something with a scaled body and bat wings, red eyes gleaning evilly in the dark.

She could hardly yell out before everything went dark.

0O0O0

_The next instant he had felt it behind him, a millisecond before it came for him, something dark and huge diving down from the sky. Something with a scaled body and bat wings, red eyes gleaning evilly in the dark. He could hardly yell out..._

Herakles sat up in bed, confused and disturbed by the dream. Too much of Dionysos' wine yesterday, and too much of Ares' war stories. Al right, his big brother was a braggart, but it had been interesting neverthele... No, this was not the wine. Neither was it something Ares had been conjuring up in spite of all his talks about smiting Titans with axes of Adamantine. This was something else. This was about - Hebe. Herakles knew it, felt it in his gut, as soon as he had finished his train of thoughts. Something had happened to Hebe. Something was wrong at the Academeia.

With an alarming speed Herakles jumped out of bed and into his tunic and pants, put on his boots, grabbed a broadsword he kept in storage and then he was out of the door before he could think another thought. But there he stopped himself, he wasn't stupid or reckless enough to hasten away to Cyprus before he knew what he was about to face there. So much had life taught him, that knowing your enemy was half the means to win a battle. He had learned that with the hydra, which severed necks he had let his squire Iolas burn to prevent the monster from growing more heads. He had learned that it took trickery and flattery rather than raw strength to gain the Amazon Queen Hippolyta's fancy belt. And now he needed to know what was coming for Hebe, and for that he needed help.

Ares' home was just like Hermes' placed at the very edge of Olympos, although more or less at the other side. Almost as if the two brothers were marking their independence by doing so. When Herakles arrived there his brother was already up and about, sampling from a large storage of arms.  
>"Glad you came," bellowed the large man as soon as Herakles was let in by a sleepy-looking nymph. "I was just going to get you. I know you might not be that found of my sister, Herc, but I also know you are a man of honour and that you never back out of a fight. But you'll need more than that plaything," he indicated Herakles sword with a nod.<p>

"You know what happened to Hebe?" Herakles asked as Ares turned his back and started away into the armory room, with some heavy swords and axes on his mind.  
>"I know something has happened to her," he turned his head slightly, dark-brown eyes gleaming savagely in the divine light. "And the one who causes the slightest harm to my sister - to any of my siblings as a matter of fact - will pay for it by tenfold. I've kicked the living daylight out of enough assholes by now that people ought to understand that I mean business. But apparently some morons out there still need to be taught a lesson."<p>

Ares picked down an enormous axe from its peg on the wall.  
>"I'm sure you can handle this, big man," he said and handed the weapon over to Herakles. His half-brother took it, thinking to himself that before he had become a god he wouldn't even have been able to lift this tool, let along swinging it, no matter what people told about his strength. This weighed far more than Geiron or the thatch over at Atlas' and Herakles guessed that just one swing and he would be able to decapitate the largest of Titans. But Ares didn't stop at that, he handed Herakles another, larger broadsword too. Then he went over to a chest at the other side of the room.<p>

"The big stuff is impressive enough, but you can do a lot of harm with the little goodies too, if you only know where they go." Ares pulled one drawer and took out some small but sharp-looking star-shaped objects, and handed four of them to Herakles. They weren't larger than pineapple slices but they sure seemed dangerous in spite.  
>"What's this?" Herakles turned the shining steel items over in his hand, felt the sharp edges trigger divine shielding reflexes around his fingers, the these days well known sensation prickling slightly.<br>"I'm calling them Death Stars. Had them made over at Hephaistos' after my own design. You know how to spin a discus, right?"  
>"Yeah, I was in some competitions," Herakles nodded.<br>"These work almost the same way." Ares made a fast twist with his right hand and the object flew across the room and buried itself in the wooden torso of a man-sized dummy of the kind Ares used for target practicing.

"Lethal!" Herakles admitted admiringly.  
>"Yeah. You know, most of these savages scream a lot when they come hoarding. Aim for their mouths, and these little darlings go right through the front door and into the headquarter, doing quick and fatal damage and the enemy is down in a few moments. Try it!"<p>

Herakles complied and although he wasn't as good as Ares at twisting his hand the very right way he too could bury his Death Star in the belly of the dummy.  
>"Come on now," Ares then urged as Herakles retrieved his Death Star from the dummy. "No more shit chat, it's time for action."<br>"A little less conversation."  
>"What?"<br>"Forget it," Herakles felt a sting in his chest as he quoted Hebe.

0O0O0

"We went there to fight," Ares told his parents. "But there was nothing to be found save for upset teachers and crying children. Apparently no one knows what happened when Hebe went missing. And there was a kid missing too, even if no one seems to be the slightest bothered with his disappearance."  
>"But you think these disappearances are related?" Hera asked, massaging her hands.<br>"I do."  
>"You found any mind patterns of what could've been the kidnappers?" Zeus wanted to know.<br>"I'm not sure," Ares admitted. "There were so many conflicting patterns over there that both Herakles and I had a hard time pinpointing what had come for her, not to mention where it went. And those troubled teachers and children didn't make it any better. We're going to need a better trapper. We're going to need Artemis in this. Where's she?"  
>"She's still sound asleep I bet," Hera said. "But I'll have her up by the minute if she can be of any possible help in this matter." The queen nodded to one of the attending nymphs who dashed away to do her mistress' biddings.<p>

"I'm convinced the disappearances are very much related," Herakles said and looked with intense emerald eyes at the king and queen of the gods who were seated opposite of him and Ares in the living room sofa of their private apartment. The room was pleasant and nicely furnitured and with a large fire sparkling in the hearth, chasing away the humid winter chill. Soft pillows covering generous sofas and coaches and large flower pots were cornering off parts of the room and making it cozy and airy at the same time. Under other circumstances the gathering would have been quite nice, Herakles guessed. Even with Hera present. But now the situation was much too dire.  
>"What makes you think they are related, Herakles?" Zeus wanted to know.<br>"Because of their correspondence in time and space. Both Hebe and Iaskar – the missing kid that is – disappeared around four hours after midnight. Both seemed to have been taken by beings heading towards north-east, although we lost their tracks out over the waters. So those who took Hebe must have taken the kid too, at roughly the same time. On top of that there's the coincidence factor. I don't think two persons would disappear from the Academeia, more or less without a trace, if not the incidents were related."

"But who could've taken Hebe?" fair haired Iris let up her voice, crossing one feet over the other and adjusting her long, multi-coloured dress. "She hasn't got any enemies as far as I know. A more nice and tender..."  
>"She's Olympian, that's enough for some people," Zeus grumbled. "They – whoever they are - probably want to get at Hera. Or at me. And they do so by attacking one of our beloved little ones. Both Hera and I are warriors of origin, although mixed with other divine traits, like weather and procreation, and they know better than going up against any of us. Or against Ares or Herakles either for that matters. But - as you pointed out, Iris - Hebe is kind and gentle and she has hardly ever been interested in anything violent. Some archery, that's the only thing I can think of. 'What is it good for' as your own daughter Palaistra uses to say. That combined with being away from Olympos where we others could had defended her, made her an easier target than almost anyone else. I've actually been worried that something like this might happen."<p>

"You haven't said anything about that!" Hera gave her husband an almost angry look.  
>"I haven't been wanting to worry any of you but I have felt it for quite some time now, something evil is stirring. And as late as yesterday I planned to ask you, Herakles to keep an eye on Hebe."<br>"Why Herakles?" Now there was a plain irritation in Hera's voice as she glanced from Zeus over to his son and then back again. "Why not Ares?"  
>"Because Herakles has been expressing his interest in training some of these skilled children down at the Academeia. Thus it would look less suspicious if he went there than if Ares did."<br>"As if those alien barbarians would care about the finer nuisances of Olympian plans," Ares made a face at his father and Zeus sighed.  
>"I'd say 'better safe than sorry' in this case, son."<br>"And now we're sorry in spite," Ares replied.

"What do you mean 'less suspicious?'" Hera wanted to know? "Were you planning to use my daughter as a bait?"  
>"No, dearest, that would never cross my mind." Zeus answered. "But if that had been the case I would be exposing my son as well."<br>"That's not really..." Hera began but Zeus held up a large hand:  
>"Hera dear, now this is a side-track, it doesn't help us reasoning over choices of words. We need to act and for that we need a course of action, which we cannot get if we don't know who took Hebe and where those bastards went. We need to get Artemis out there as soon as possible."<p>

As on a cue, the door to Zeus' and Hera's living room opened up and there stood a sleepy-looking Artemis in a short, cerulean dress and her dark mahogany hair still in disorder.  
>"The nymph said Hebe has gone missing," the goddess of hunt said and leant her right hand against the door-frame. "What happened really?"<p>

0O0O0

Hebe woke up with a sensation of dizziness and a strange, rough feel against her cheek, as if she was lying against something hard. Which she soon found to be the case, together with a tormenting thirst. Had she fallen out of her bed in the night? No, that was not... Trying to move, she found that she could not. She was tied - no, chained down to something. She strained at the manacles, had they been steel or any other familiar matter she could have broken them easily enough - or just passed her hands trough them, atom by atom the way Dionysos had taught her. Or she could've opened the locks telekinetically if there was any, but these restraints seemed to be not only made out of some strange, unrelenting material, but welded together as well. There was no lock not even a splice in the metal. Now, there was only one she knew who could make things like that. Her brother Hephaestos. But why? An imprudent joke?

No, opening her eyes and gazing around her surroundings, Hebe became more than certain that this was not a jest. She appeared to be in a cell of some kind. A cell with walls and floor made out of stone. Narrow, damp and cold, she was aware of her shielding being in place and protecting her from the chill. She breathed in and concentrated, gathered strength to break through the restraints holding her. But no matter how she tried, no matter how she strained she couldn't break that strange alloy. Then she tried to pull the chains out of the fastening in the stone wall, but that also became an effort in vain. It was apparent that those - whoever they were - who were holding her meant business very much. Whatever she had no clue about what they wanted with her. Of course it had to do with her Olympic family, that much hit home. But was it revenge, blackmail or something else? She couldn't even begin to guess, since she had no idea who or what these beings were.

With a sight she sat back against the hard and cold wall, resting her head against damp stone and tried to think. The last thing she remembered was trying to find Iaskar, the boy who had gone missing from the Academeia in the middle of the night. She had chased him out over the ocean, following a faint trail. Then there was – nothing. She must've lost consciousness somewhere out of the waters...

Taking out her bearings against the earthlines Hebe found she was way up north, far away from Hellas and quite a bit off to the east too, somewhere in those mountains the inhibitors called the Urals. This was one of the most desolate places on Earth and inhibited by all kind of fearsome beings which had been driven away from the human settlements. At that moment dread started to swirl around in her belly, but she forced the sensation down and away. She could not afford to panic now, she must keep her mind cold and calculating. Was there any way out here? Any way to slip free from these restraints and to get out from this cell?

Hebe took a deep breath and realized that it was pitch dark and that she was using her infrared sight, making out features solely based upon their heat. That was why she herself was the brightest thing in the tiny confinement. The rest was cold, and thus more or less dark. She conjured up a flame of divine light and used it to shine around the room. The first thing the light fell upon was a scull resting upon a heap of more or less broken bones. A long dead mortal. Eugh!

Then she realized three things:

1. There were no door anywhere  
>2. The walls were round<br>3. There was no ceiling either

Consequently, Hebe thought, she must be on the bottom of a well of some kind. Those who had taken her had probably restrained her and then thrown her down there. No, she changed her mind, because then she wouldn't be chained to the wall. No, someone must rather have wired her down and then chained her here. Not that it mattered how they had done it really, but every little detail she was able to figure out of her enemy might just prove valuable later. That was something Athena had taught her once. Hebe let her light travel upwards, until it reached the top of the oubliette. That was about twelve metres up. Up there was an iron hatch, locked together thoroughly. The only way to get out would be to levitate up there and try to get the lock up. If only she wasn't locked to this damn wall!

"Darn," she said to the scull. "They do mean business these faceless beings. But I guess you learned that too, poor sod."


	11. The plot thickens

**The plot thickens**

"No, brothers," Artemis sadly shook her head, droplets of rain falling from her ox-blood coloured leather hood. "No, I can trace the patterns of Hebe and her kidnappers this far. But then nothing. Someone must've deployed some kind of scrambling magic."  
>"What's that? Scrambling magic?" Herakles wanted to know, cursing the rain which got in between his jacket and bare skin. He had not yet really learned to shield manually, and hence protect himself against small nuisances like this, although the divine shielding worked well as reflexes against real dangers. But rain, mosquitoes and drifting sand actually demanded that you thought about shielding or you'd be bothered by these little harmless but irritating effects.<br>"It's a kind of magic used to hide people's soul patterns. Divine as well as mortal ones," his sister replied. She looked from Herakles to Ares and then back again. "I'm really sorry. I can trace her about this far but then all I sense is a jumble of different patterns, like footprints smeared out in clay and rain."

"And if not even you can trace it, then it's bad," Ares stated. "It means that these who took her were prepared for Olympos. They had done their homework well. So what do we do now?" Ares' voice sounded cool and calculating, but Herakles knew his brother well enough to understand that he was deeply worried about his little sister.  
>"We better go home and initiate a worldwide scan. Search the planet bit by bit to try to locate Hebe," The goddess of hunt suggested.<br>"That could take weeks!" Ares replied, some tenseness finally showing in his voice.  
>"Do you have any better proposition?" Artemis returned.<br>"I wish I did. I wish I did!" the god of war sighed and wrinkled his brow. "I prefer an honest battle, face to face with the enemy. Cowards who skulk in the dark and sneak away with their booty is the worst kind of adversaries."

"What do you think happened to her, Artemis? Can you sense anything about what took place tonight?" Herakles asked. "And does it really have some connection to the lost boy? Iaskar. The little bullied misfit I gave some training to stand his ground?"  
>"Did you say he was a Titan?" Artemis asked, her eyes loosing themselves across the horizon as if she was doing a last attempt to sort and trace the soul patterns of Hebe and her abductors.<br>"Rumours has it at least. The people at the Academeia told a story about Iaskar's mother having been raped by a Titan and that she had birthed this child and left it at the altar of Apollo. You think he might know anything, Artie?"

"I'm not sure," the goddess of hunt replied and bit her lower lip. "My brother has never been the one to pay that much attention to children left in his temples."  
>"I guess compared to you very few does." Ares said. "I check them out now and then to see if they are good soldier materiel, but I don't take care of them like you do, I have to admit. Then again there are very few coming to me that way. After all I am the God of War, not the god of daycare."<br>"If he was a Titan. I mean IF," Artemis cut off Ares' tirade. "Then that might very possibly be some kind of clue."

"Let's consider the Titans took her," Herakles said. "Then I'd foremost ask myself why. I mean why now? I know that if there's a surviving gang of Titans lingering somewhere out therem, they might most definitely feel they have bones to pick with the modern gods who defeated them. And definitely with the Olympians. But why striking now?"  
>"Because Hebe was exposed and vulnerable, residing far way from Olympos," Ares said. "An easy target."<p>

"Sure and now is as good as any time I guess you might say. Poor little Hebe!" Artemis sounded as if her heart was about to break. She too loved her young step sister and at the moment she felt like she wanted to strike out against someone – anyone – who could have had anything to do with the disappearance of Hebe. She wanted to go home and dip one of her arrows in lethal poison and shoot it right up their ass. Only that she knew not upon whom those asses sat. Ares was right, enemies who skulked in the dark were of the worse kind.

"I just wonder how the bastards may have done it." Ares grumbled. "How did they know that now was the time to strike anyhow?"

0O0O0O

"The plan was probably initiated way earlier." Athena reasoned, picking up Ares' thread. Almost all of the gods were now gathered in Zeus' large reception hall, which felt chilly in spite of the fires blazing in the fireplaces to the sides and in the pit in the middle. Zeus and Hera were in their thrones, but this meeting was far from any formal conference. Hera was red-eyed and grasping her husbands' hand and even the great king looked sad and worried. The threesome which had flown down to Cyprus and back were standing in front of the royal couple and most of the other gods and goddesses were sitting on chairs and cushions around the royalties. Athena had taken her position to the right side of Zeus, arms crossed over her chest and a thoughtful look upon her striking face.

"I'm pretty certain," the goddess went on, "that those who took Hebe, wherever they were Titans or not, planted the boy Iaskar at the Academeia as a kind of rogue. They knew that while Hebe might be an easier catch than most of us she was seldom alone down there. Herakles was there not long ago and both Palaistra, Ares and I have been frequent visitors. Then both Hephaestos and Artemis have been there now and then too. So they needed someone or something to be there and keep the place under surveillance. To make sure Hebe was alone. That no other Olympians were with her. And when everything else in their plan was ready Iaskar acted and Hebe was snatched away."

"With all due respect, sister," Herakles begun. "Iaskar hardly seemed like the evil Titan spy. He was a spurned and shy boy who hid in the corners."  
>"That was exactly the point," Athena said. "He fooled us all. I for sure didn't suspect him. I hardly noticed him. Meanwhile he was either a regular Titan fighter in disguise as a child or a unknowing tool to set the plot in motion. Perhaps hypnotized to take certain actions under certain circumstances. My guess would be the latter."<br>"So he was a trap or something?" Palaistra asked.  
>"You might say that, yes." Athena turned to Hermes' daughter who was sitting next to her father, drying tears from red eyes.<br>"I knew there was something off with the kid," Herakles mumbled under his breath. Ares, being the only one who heard him, gave him a long and curious look out of the corner of his eyes.

"So what do we do now?" Hermes let up his voice, echoing Ares' earlier question.  
>"At least we do have a lead." Athena said. Now, of course all the heads turned into her direction. Like so many times before did the sharp-minded daughter of Zeus had thought ahead of everyone else and she naturally became the ultimate centre of attention.<br>"Athena, tell us!" Hera urged, stifling a sob.  
>"The temple of Apollo."<p>

The sun god felt the need to reply:  
>"That track is cold now. It was after all several years ago. And the priests who took care of the boy and turned him over to the Academeia hardly remember anything of the lad. He's far from the only one who..."<br>"Apollo, we'll have to use other methods," Athena said.  
>"If you'll force them to remember, poking around in their heads..." Apollo rose.<br>"Athena can poke wherever she likes if it can help us getting Hebe back, Apollo!" Hera snapped.  
>"I'm not talking about..." Athena begun but for once she was interrupted. Apollo kept talking:<br>"I'm worried about Hebe too, but I won't have any of my priests..."  
>"Then I will!" Hera returned, rising her voice.<br>"NO WAY!" the Sun god called out.  
>"Apollo be sensible!" Zeus started.<p>

"Shut UP!" Athena rose her voice even more. "No one has been talking about poking in any priest's heads. Apollo's right, that won't help. They won't remember. We're going to need the Moirae in this."  
>"The interpreters of the faith?" Herakles asked. "But what can they..."<br>"Athena's right" Zeus said. "They have the power to see into the past as well as into the future. They have the tools to make it possible to see what happened in the temple of Apollo that day."  
>"Then why can't they simply locate Hebe where she is now?" Demeter wanted to know.<br>"Those Titans, or whoever they are, are far from stupid." Athena replied. "They have covered their tracks well, and Hebe's present location is probably 'faith-proof' as well. But I'm quite certain they didn't bother with the events at the temple of Apollo."

0O0O0O

Hebe had spent the hours on the bottom of the round, well-like oubliette first with trying to locate a possible way to escape. Yet even if it would have been possible to open up that hatch, she could not get up there. Not while those magic chains were holding her down. Then she had tried to contact her Olympians using telepathy, but she soon found that this place was cordoned off somehow, it was impossible for her mind to travel further away than a few metres from the imposing, maze-like building where she was held. Chaos, it was even impossible for her mind to make a map over the compound, since it was so jammed with repelling and warping magic that it became impossible for her mind to travel in any certain direction without loosing itself. So she soon gave up on that too.

After that she tried to figure out what her family might do. She was uncertain about the amount of time which might have passed since she was knocked out on Cyprus, but by now the Olympians must surely have learned that she was missing. She so wondered what they planned. Because she held no doubt that her family would be able to find and retrieve her. They were after all the Gods of Olympos.

But then, she felt certain, her kidnappers must know that too. They must know that whatever they did, however well they hid her behind screens of magic, time was not on their side. The Olympians would come for them sooner or later, the way they always had. So whatever her kidnappers intended to do they would have to do it fast. And it couldn't be severing her life and sending her to down under, because then they would probably already have done that. Or - were they just in this moment preparing to do that. Were the hours she has been spending down here only their time to get ready...

The young goddess shuddered as she felt the jagged balls of panic return in her stomach. She forced herself to discard that dread once again. For what time in order she did not know. She looked at the scull opposite her.  
>"I'm not going to end up like you, I swear that, do you hear me." she told the earless, featureless head. "I don't know who you were, when you were that who or how you ended up here, but I swear I'll revenge you as well."<p>

Those words gave her some kind of strength to force the panic back in the darkest corner of her mind again. Then she began to think about Iaskar. It couldn't be a coincidence that the boy had slipped out of bed the very same night as she was kidnapped. There must be some connection, some clue somewhere. But what? If she could only grasp his part in this she was sure she would understand quite a bit more of her mysterious kidnappers.

0O0O0O

Zeus gave Hera a napkin against the tears as they left the throne room and started back to their private wing of the Palace.  
>"Darling," he said and put his arm around her shoulders, "we will get her out! Do not ever doubt that. With our combined strength, skills and determination we will get your daughter away from the fangs of these beings, whoever they are. They will learn the cost of kidnapping an Olympian. They will learn that the cost is high and that we will make them pay direly no matter what."<br>"All fancy words, Zeus. But can we really live up to them?"  
>"Sweetheart, don't you doubt such a thing. We have been worse off before. Remember those thugs who took Ares. Or…"<p>

"Zeus, Ares might have been young and naïve at the time but already back then he was tough and strong and with a sturdy mind. He has never let anyone intimidate him. Hebe's more sensitive and tender. She'll… She's not a tough goddess in that sense. She's gentle and caring, she has a great hand with the little ones and she listens, hears and understands what is the matter with people before anyone else does. Her father was a healer, she has his traits in her blood. But naturally she has nothing from you - the storm god, the durable warrior who backs away from nothing, not even the evil Kronos or the horror that was Typhon. She won't stand her ground like any of our shared children. Even Hephaestos would fight better than her, he has strong arms and the most stubborn attitude."

"Dearest, I think you're underestimating your daughter. And yourself. You hail from a family of war gods yourself, even if it was centuries since you held a sword. And Hebe might be soft and gentle, Hera, but that doesn't mean she's weak. Believe me, she'll hold her own out there when push comes to show."  
>"But Zeus, in that place alone..."<br>"She will cope, and she will know that she's not abandoned. That there are people coming for her. She'll prevail I'm sure of that. And then, if she'll be a bit beaten when we get her out of there, you'll take well care of her the way I know you can, Hera. So dry your tears and try to be strong now. We'll fix this! I give you my words."

"Zeus – when I was the same age as her…"  
>"You killed Titans by tenfold with that mighty sword of yours. The one you got from your father. Which Ares has now."<br>"Yeah, The Demotivator. But that doesn't..."  
>"Then I'll never forget when you threatened to neuter poor Prometheus because he pinched you in the back. Or when you grabbed Atlas by the locks and slammed his head into a marble table so shards flew all over because you were sick of his tries to explain away his alliance with Kronos. Trust me, if Hebe's anything like you, she'll come out strengthened from this!"<p>

Hera didn't reply in words, instead she came up close to her husband and held him hard, borrowing from his famous strength of soul and of mind, letting his potent mentality and his kindness soothe her. Still there was that grating undercurrent there in her mind, the evil little voice telling her that she would never see her beloved daughter again. And she felt so guilty. She had failed Hebe, she had not been able to protect her…

0O0O0O

"Herakles, I want you to come with me to the Faithes" Athena asked of her brother. She was standing on his front porch, the late afternoon light shining off her blond hair which fell like a waterfall down her shoulders.  
>"Really, why me?" Herakles replied, regarding his sister who had that determined look upon her face, telling him she had already made up her mind about his attendance. In that instance he knew that no matter what he said, she would get her way. That was Athena for you! Still, visiting the faithes didn't seem that appealing to him, he had managed to avoid them and their desolate dwelling since his apotheosis and he was not so sure he was ready to go there now.<p>

"Because you're the only one save for poor Hebe who really encountered Iaskar, and who know his soul pattern. That's essential if we are going to be able to locate his faith in the past."  
>"Are you sure? You saw him when you were at the Academeia, right?"<br>"Yes I might have, but I never paid attention to him, so I'm not sure I'd recognize him again. I need your help, Herakles."

Feeling a twist in his belly the god nodded slowly. How could he argue with his favourite sister after all? He asked Athena to wait while he put on a cloak and grabbed something to eat on the run, he feared they would be late for the Grand Family dinner, which usually took place around two hours after sunset.

Not much later they were off the Olympos, in the air and heading northwards to the place the faithes called home. The afternoon was beautiful with a pale sun shining with slanted, orange-tinted rays over a landscape still wet by the day's raining and fluffy clouds drifting across a deep blue sky with their bottoms on fire. It was a bit chilly in the air and lingering thunder could still be heard off in the distance. Herakles felt that during other circumstances he would have enjoyed the flight a lot. But now he was not only nervous about visiting the mysterious and recluse faithes, there was this underlying worry for Hebe too. Somehow, he had come to realize, he blamed himself for her disappearance. Somehow he felt that it was something he ought to have done differently which mattered in the case. Perhaps he should have stayed around. Perhaps he should have kept a closer eye upon his step sister. He said nothing to Athena about these thoughts however.

"Athena?" Herakles asked when they neared their destination. His sister turned her head slightly, she had been silent during their short trip, preoccupied with her own thoughts.  
>"Yes, Herc?"<br>"Is there... do you think Hebe... do you think those who took Hebe might've hurt her?"  
>"I'm not sure. I'm not even sure - she's alive." Athena's voice got cloggy upon the last words, as if she was straining against tears.<br>"Athena, if they had wanted her dead, why taking her away? Why not kill her on location?"  
>"Perhaps if they had tried to do it at the Academeia she would have called for help and we would have been there before they could've done her anything. By taking her away and erasing their tracks they'll have a greater chance to open up a gate down under and get rid of her soul. That's not a quick an easy dead after all. Not with an immortal who doesn't really die."<p>

"So you think...?"  
>"I didn't say that. I actually think they have other plans for Hera's daughter. She's too - valuable to just strike down. Besides it's no secret that our father can locate lost divine souls down under, just given enough time. He'd find Hebe sooner or later if the bastards got the idea of sending her down there. He has even been down to Tartarus to get people out from there. Yet under any circumstances time is essential here, Herakles. Because even if those who have taken Hebe don't succeed in killing her they might still hurt her. Hurt her bad."<p>

Athena's words felt like stabbing knifes in Herakles' chest, and he swallowed hard against the mental pain. He had done nothing wrong, and there was nothing accusatory in his sister's voice, still her words made him feel guilt. All he wanted to do was to grab one of Ares' great axes and venture out and turn every stone there was until he found those who held Hebe. But he knew it was the wrong way. He would never find the little goddess in time that way. The way to do it was the way Athena had chosen for them. To use what lead they had and try to haul it in and see if Hebe was attached to the other end of the thread.

"Can the Faithes find Iaskar?"  
>"Not where he is now. But where he was then."<br>"Where he was then? What do you mean? In Apollo's temple?"  
>"No, where he was before, how he got to Apollo's temple. How he was put there."<br>"But if it is true then, if he was simply put there by a poor raped woman?"  
>"Then they can find the rapist," Athena replied. "Don't worry, Herakles, they'll get it done. So far they have never failed. It's only we who have been a bit thick-headed when it comes to interpreting what they've been trying to say to us. That's another reason why I asked you to come. You might push things in a bit of a different perspective than I, who know nothing about that boy."<p>

With her thoughts spinning around in his mind Herakles landed right next to Athena outside a stone mansion perched on a crest of one of those peaky mountains that made up the range north of Olympos. The mansion looked like nothing he had ever seen before. The more or less mandatory Hellenic pillar portico was traded into a single vault, shaped like a droplet at the top, and inside that vault rested a heavy pair of iron double doors. There were no windows as far as Herakles could see, only high, ochre-painted walls covered in vine and in need of repair. It all felt foreboding and unwelcoming and ripe with ancient-old and not necessarily benign magic.

Athena walked up to the doors and sounded a heavy knocker. The booming sound reverberated through the doors like their father's thunder and made a couple of screaming crows take off from nearby trees. A few seconds later the doors opened up to admit the two Olympians. Then Herakles had barely passed through the opening when the doors closed right behind the two visitors with a boom that sounded almost faithful, as if that huge gate was looking them in. On top of that the rim of Herakles' dark-blue cloak nearly became stuck between the doors, in the last instance he managed to pull the cloth closer around himself. Even Athena seemed at ill ease as she glanced behind her at those doors. Then she turned and lead on, the magnificent daughter of Zeus so very reluctant to show any sign of weakness. Herakles on the other hand had a harder time to hide the creepy feeling this place was giving him, and he so wished he had taken a weapon of some kind with him.


	12. Lingering Titans

**Lingering Titans**

Athena and Herakles crossed a cobble-stoned courtyard where a dried-up and cracked old fountain was filled with brown old leaves and decorated with a stone dragon which had lost its tail and one ear. Weed grew between the paving stones and in holes where stones seemed to have been missing for years and years. Gnarled old trees lined the courtyard, populated with even more crows. Whatever the faithes cared about it was definitely not the outside of their home, Herakles thought. Or perhaps that was just what they did, he corrected himself. Perhaps they wanted it to look unwelcoming and forlorn, to scare off visitors they did not want to receive. Because it was obvious that these ladies were recluses. No wonder the scariest stories were attributed to them down in the mortal world. Like the thread they mercilessly clipped and severed your life!

The next door was made of wood and it was already open when the two Olympians ascended the few stairs up to the building, and let themselves into a dusky hall where a hand written sign told them to take off their shoes and wait until summoned. That message angered Herakles quite a bit, who were they to tell him these things? Although Athena didn't seem to care, perhaps she was used to the quirks of the faithes. She just kneeled down, untied her sandals and left them by the wall. She also removed her cloak and told Herakles to do the same.  
>"It's quite warm inside."<p>

He nodded and obeyed, found a peg to hang the cloth next to Athena's. Only a few seconds later a purple drape was pulled aside and an ancient-looking midget with wrinkled skin and big ears showed himself in the opening into the next room. Behind him a strong orange glow made it hard to make out his features.  
>"You will enter now," the midget said with an old man's voice and winked a bony index finger at them in an obvious gesture. Athena cast a glance at Herakles and passed through the opening, carefully pulling the drape aside. Herakles followed and they entered a large hall, which was just as Athena had said, very warm. Probably because it was filled to the brim with torches with divine fire, shining off in a sunset colour so unlike the default green. More like the chemical fires mortals used, Herakles thought.<p>

The hall consisted of rows and rows of two man thick sandstone pillars holding up x-shaped vaults and a floor paved with large, rough stones very much like the ones out in the courtyard, although here everyone seemed to be in place and they were a bit more polished, shining off the fires. The midget led the way through the first part which was Spartan enough and then out in a more open area where the floor was laid with carpets covering the reddish stones. And not just any carpets but valuable, eastern ones with elaborated patterns of flowers and abstract swirls. This part was also well furnished, with expensive and lush furnishing. Loveseats, low tables, chairs, stools and small cupboards, all in gold and ivory inlaid ebony, teak or jacaranda and with plush velvet seats and cushions in red and purple adorned with golden tassels and ribbons. Here and there animal skins covered the carpets. Tigers, lions, bears, zebras, leopards, reindeers, bears and other beasts Herakles could not identify. All that was taken in during just a few seconds by a man who was used to scan his surroundings. What he then saw almost took his breath away.

He had been told about the faithes as a mortal. About Atropos, Lachesis and Clotho, one crone, one mature woman and one maiden girl. But that seemed as far from the truth as the crazy stories told about Athena's birth. The faithes were three, but there ended the similarities to what he had been told. They all looked like true goddesses, timeless and beautiful. But it was their colours that surprised Herakles. They were all blue-skinned, a hue which reminded him of pale irises and their hairs were metallic and with saturated colours which seemed to waver in the fire-light, undulating from purple over indigo to a darker iris colour.

The goddess in the middle became the one to speak. Herakles knew instinctively that she was Atropos, the oldest and the leader.  
>"Come over here, you children of Great Lord Zeus!" she beckoned. "So finally the resilient son of the Thunderer pays us his visit. We welcome him as we welcome the Goddess of Wisdom who never hesitates in her purpose. You seek the lost daughter of the Mighty Queen. The young tutor beloved by the little ones. And we will aid you in what ways we see possible. Come over here now, guests of ours, and sit down here and taste our wine and dishes while we discuss the matter further. "<p>

"I didn't think it was so easy!" Herakles whispered to Athena as they crossed the carpeted floor to the group of furniture where the faithes were resting. A table in front of the threesome was set with seemingly delicious dishes on golden plates.  
>"Don't say that," Athena replied with a muted voice. "It's far from over yet."<p>

They took their places on stools across from the faithes who were more or less reclining in a large sofa, their bodies entangled as if they were lovers rather than the sisters the stories held them for.  
>"My Noble Ladies!" Athena begun, bowing her head slightly. "You already know why we are here, which of course does not surprise me, given your unique skills. So I'm not going to venture into the details, I'm only going to ask you if and how you may help us."<br>"You require the soul-pattern of the boy-Titan Iaskar," Atropos responded and Herakles felt his eyes widen at the confirmation about Iaskar being a Titan. He had already suspected it, but he had been far from sure. No wonder that Iaskar had been an outcast at the Academeia. The other children had probably felt his alienness, even if the adults most likely had been trying to rationalize away such suspicions. But children, before they reached a certain age, tended to trust their gut feeling even with seemingly impossible facts.

"So do you have it?" Herakles asked, facing the blue goddess across the table.  
>"Not so fast, young one," Atropos berated him. "It is not as simple as thou may think."<br>"What do you mean?" Herakles raised his voice slightly but Athena put a hand on his arm with a clear message for him to contain his temper.  
>"Iaskar did not take Hebe," the faith to the left of Atropos said. She was Clotho, Herakles knew then, just as he had known who Atropos was. Then the one to the right who had not yet spoken must be Lachesis.<br>"Then what did happen?" Athena asked. Her voice sounded almost unnaturally soft and undemanding, Herakles thought. Then again Athena did of course know how to deal with these ladies.

"A being called Peratola." Clotho went on. She seemed less found of elaborated sentences and more into pure facts. "She is no Titan; she is what you would refer to as a chthonian. But she does the Titan's biddings to settle an old score."  
>"With us?" Athena asked.<br>"No, with another chthonian. One called Chernobog. She hopes that by aiding the Titans she will later be able to enlist them to go up against Chernobog. The Titans might be strong and belligerent but they are far from astute enough to come up with any working plan besides mere 'seek and destroy's. The only Titans with a bit of a brain were Kronos and his lot. The ones your father and his divine warriors disposed of back in the beginning of the modern ages. The rest, the surviving Titans, have more or less been hiding away in caves at the edges of the world since then, fighting each other or the mortals and other unfortunate beings that have been reckless enough to get in their way. In any case their strength is impressive and they fear almost nothing, so they are great tools in the hands of anyone who needs mercenaries."

"But where does poor Hebe fit into this wile scheme?" Herakles asked, careful to sound patient.  
>"She is simply barter." Lachesis said. "She will be used to claim a ransom."<br>"So all this Peratola want is money? Money to pay mercenary Titans with?" the god wrinkled his brow. He couldn't believe it was so mundane.  
>"I said nothing about money," Lachesis went on. "What the Titans who Peratola is deploying want is of a completely different variety."<br>"What?" Athena asked.  
>"They want Enkelados and his sons released out of the Tartarus."<p>

0O0O0O

"What?" Zeus bellowed, leaning forward in his chair, as if he had to make sure he hadn't misheard what his daughter told.  
>"They want Enkelados."<br>"In exchange for Hebe?"  
>"Yes, that was what the faithes told us". Athena sighed and spread her hands. "Enkelados and his three sons are what Hebe's kidnappers will ask us for."<p>

"We can't let them have him." Zeus raged. "That monster is lethal. He and his sons will break havoc upon the world if they become let out. I have sworn that Enkelados will not see daylight again, I have sworn to protect several gods and their mortal societies against these beings and thus keeping them locked up down in the singularity known as the Tartarus."  
>"But what about Hebe?" Hera despaired, looking teary-eyed and intensely at her husband.<br>"There must be some other way!" Demeter said from the other side of Hera, tearing through her chestnut brown hair before laying a hand on Hera's arm, looking at her with soft, brown eyes. "I know what it's like to lose a daughter and I don't want that to happen to Hera. Or anyone."

"Kore is far from lost, Demeter, and you know that." Zeus stared at his friend across Hera's place in the sofa. "She'll be back here again within a month."  
>"But she's not..." Demeter began but Athena cut her off.<br>"Demi! We're not here to talk about Persephone, who have chosen her direction in life and does not need any more over-protection. That discussion is sooo over! We're here to talk about how to get Hebe away from these monsters without hurting her in the venture and without giving in to their demands."

"Let's find their place and tear it apart!" the God of War interrupted.  
>"Don't be so gallingly predictable, Ares" Artemis snorted at her little brother.<br>"And what brilliant ideas does the goddess of hunt have then?" Ares returned.  
>"Wait a sec' all of you!" Poseidon raised his hand. "Have those Titans and this whatshername - Peratola - come forward with their demands yet?"<br>"Not yet," Zeus admitted.  
>"How can we then know it's what they want?" the god of the sea went on.<p>

"Because that's what the faithes said," Athena looked with impatience in her eyes at Poseidon.  
>"And they have been wrong before," the sea god stated. "Sometimes I wonder if they are not jumping too much to conclusions based upon what they are seeing in their variety of sight-bowls. Who knows, these Titans might not be interested in Enkelados at all but only eager to messing a bit with us Olympians. It shouldn't be the first time after all. They hate our guts, that's no secret. And if they can get hold upon one of us and do what they want with her, they'll be over joyed. Enkelados might just be a smoke screen. Something to stall us with. In the end I can't see any reason why anyone would want that freak out of the Tartarus. So I'm with Ares here. Let's find where they are keeping our Hebe and get her out of there as fast as ever possible."<p>

Hera looked at Poseidon and smiled palely but Athena shook her head.  
>"We don't even know where they are hiding her."<br>"Didn't your all seeing Faithes reveal that?" Poseidon snided.  
>"No they did not." Athena acknowledged.<br>"Then they are far from all-knowing," the sea god insisted. "So let's leave this dead end as it is and go get Hebe out from there."  
>"Out from where you said?" Artemis glared at her uncle.<p>

Herakles, who felt the need to defend Athena, even if he was leaning on agreeing with Poseidon and Ares, let up his voice:  
>"You say 'there' Poseidon. But, as Artemis asks, do you know where they are? Sure, you have the biggest sight bowl available of us all, but that doesn't seem to help a bit in this case."<br>"Watch your mouth, young brat!" Poseidon almost rose from his chair.  
>"Calm down!" Zeus ordered. "Quarrelling like that does not help. Especially not poor Hebe. I suggest two ways here. One - we wait for those Titans or Chthonians or whatever they label themselves to send forth an emissary one way or another - which they will have to do if they are to raise any kind of demands. Two - we try to locate Hebe the old fashioned way by scanning the world. Time-consuming, I know, but we have no other alternative at the moment if we are to get her home in one piece."<p>

"So which way do you purpose?" Athena asked her father.  
>"Both. We begin with number two while we wait for number one to start happening," Zeus replied.<p>

0O0O0O

"Athena?" Herakles asked when the meeting was over, laying a hand on his sister's arm for emphasis. "During this whole discussion the name Enkelados has been dropped several times, always uttered with such dread. But nobody has really been spilling any beans. Who was this guy, what did he do really?"  
>"He was a Giant. "<br>"Eh those? They're not that... Dearest sister, you know that I defeated some both as a mortal and as a god. But they seem to be of a lesser amount these days."

"Herakles, the Giants of the older breeds were a bit more sturdy. Since then their blood has been mixed with nymphs and with mortals and I don't know what. Although Enkelados was one of them earlier ones. The real badasses. He and a few followers attacked me, Hermes and Poseidon when we were at the island of Sicily to see if there was anything to do about that volcano Etna which was behaving strangely. Actually the giants had triggered Etna as a trap to lure us to Sicily and when we got there they attacked with all they had. Needless to say we felt we were outnumbered so we called for backup, but before they arrived we had to fight like maniacs all three of us.

Hermes killed Enkelados's brother Coeus and this made Enkelados utterly mad. He attacked our brother and managed to wrestle him to the ground and I just made it in time to save him from being severely injured. Then I threw the asshole down in Etna, it seemed fitting after all. But when I talked to father later he claimed that Etna was not a safe place for that monster, he might as well regain down there and come back for revenge. So father disposed of Enkelados, Coeus and Alkyoneus in the Tartarus."  
>"And from there it's no getting out, right?"<p>

"Only if Zeus say so," Athena nodded her head.  
>"And he won't? Not even for Hebe?"<br>"Not if there's any other way! Besides we've got another problem, one of the brothers we fought back then got away. The most dangerous one, namely Porphyrion. He's still out there, hiding. I believe there's a way to get him out in the open - namely to release at least one of the other Giant brothers, but father hesitates. After all these beasts were ferocious killers and destroyers, and father sure don't want to let them loose in the world again."

"Athena, you don't think me may let out Enkelados just temporarily. And then when we have Hebe, rein him in again? Return him to Tartarus?"  
>"That could be a working plan with some other kind of beast, but Enkelados is simply too dangerous to dare such a thing with," his sister replied. "He's shrewd and fast and if he slipped away it would mean disaster. Remember we don't know where Porphyrion is. He has stayed put, biding his time no doubt. But if Enkelados makes it out and teams up with Porphyrion - I don't think even the faithes may foresee the terror that would follow."<p>

As Herakles left the immortal gathering and started heading home to his place by the Narrow Waterfall there was something gnawing in the back of his mind. The faithes had been talking not only about Enkelados but also about someone named Chernobog. Now, that name rang a bell in the back of the young god's head. But he couldn't for his life remember why it had sounded so familiar.

0O0O0O

Hebe was awakened by voices. First she thought she had been let out of her dungeon, because what she was seeing was not the damp stone walls anymore, but a waste room with a burning, chemical fire in a large, round pit in the middle and a group of beings standing around it. Then Hebe realized that her vision was originating from inside of her head. Someone was transmitting to her. And that someone seemed to be a lady with skin black as tar, folded bat wings on her back, and red, almost luminescent eyes. A chthonian! Hebe cursed silently in a hidden corner of her mind. Those beings were unpredictable to say the least. Sometimes they seemed to cooperate with the gods of the world, and the next time they tried to backstab their former allies. Hebe almost wished it had been Titans who held her instead. Those beings you could trust at least. They were always rotten.

"Good morning, Miss Hebe," the Chthonian lady said with a shrill, hissing voice. "I do feel the need to inform you that it is morning outside even if neither you nor I can see it inside of this maze. Not that I miss the blinding light from the cursed sun the least, but I reckon you do, Olympian."  
>"Who are you? And what do you want?" Hebe asked, tried to keep panic and anger out of her voice and sound neutral, like this whole business didn't matter a bit to her.<br>"Well, the first question is easy enough to answer. I am Peratola, daughter of Nuratora. The last of the Garudian blood line, and the only one left to take revenge upon those who killed my mother and sisters. The second question though, that one is a slight bit more complicated. My Titan friends here desire to tear you apart. Isn't that true, Ohly?" Peratola turned to the brute to the left of her.

The Titan grunted. He looked like an hunchbacked and overgrown human with tiny pigs eyes set in a broad, toad like face with a nose which appeared to have been broken several times and with unkempt and he had greasy colourless hair and beard adorned with roughly crafted golden beads. He was dressed in a loincloth and a west, both in coarse, black leather festooned with iron studs and chains in a cliché badass sort of way. The way the crooks were dressed in theatre plays. Hebe almost backed off while looking at the beast. Under normal circumstances he wouldn't have scared her at all but now, held in a prison with magic manacles, she felt as helpless as a mortal infant and she had no idea at all what faith awaited her.

"But he cannot have you." Peratola went on. "You are too valuable to me, Olympian. You are my key to Chernobog the Butcher."  
>"Who?"<br>"The beast that killed my family of course. With you as a hostage the Olympians will do my bidding and let out certain Titans from the Tartarus. And then, since I am these Titans' liberator, they will great me as such and then they will be mine and obedient and I can use them to go after Chernobog."  
>"What?" The being called Ohly grunted.<br>"You heard me," Peratola snapped. "You didn't really think you could have the girl? Or Enkelados? I hold no love for the Olympians that is true. Gods who help weak mortals, lesser beings who really ought to be nothing but food, on the expense of powerful and magic beings like us, hindering us from taking our right place in the world. Those gods are nothing but enemies of mine! Miss Hebe, I would like nothing more than to hand you over to Ohly and his brothers and watch you being raped and then beaten to pulp. But as I said – you are too valuable to me. If Ohly gets hold on you, then my mother and sisters will never become avenged."

"So you plan to let me go in exchange for these Titans?" Hebe swallowed and asked. She hated her helplessness, and she was beginning to fear that she would not be able to keep her panic in control much longer. What Peratola had said and the looks Ohly was giving her sent shivers down to her very bones. The dark-cloaked and hooded being to the right of Peratola had yet not showed any sign of being involved in the act. It was as if that one was but an observer to this whole nightmare, and if Hebe hadn't seen its wavering alien aura or slightly heaving chest she might as well have taken it for a doll or a statue.  
>"Certainly - if Zeus do release Enkelados." Peratola clarified. "It is a gamble I know. You are not his daughter, we would rather have taken someone like Athena or Artemis or even Pasithea, then we could be sure that Zeus would open up the whole Tartarus had we just asked, just to get his precious child back. But those were not - well - available, so we had to be content with you, little one. And we can only hope that your mother Hera will be able to push enough pressure upon Zeus that he does our bidding. Otherwise I am afraid Ohly will have you, dear. "<p>

At those words Ohly grunted happily but Peratola slapped him on the back of his head and he quieted with a yelp and began to pout instead. Then Peratola turned to the hooded being to her right:  
>"Vico, you know what to say to the Olympians? How to pose your enquiry?"<p>

In reply the third being folded down his hood and for the first time Hebe saw him. And if Peratola and Ohly had been scary enough, this man really gave her the creeps. His skin was so white it was almost transparent and he had a kind of horned growth upon his forehead, like a satyr. But his complexion was far from that of a sturdy and hairy satyr. His face was thin and pointed and completely hairless, the nose was crooked and the lips were thin and colourless. But it was the eyes which scared Hebe the most. They were obsidian black, huge and slightly slanted. And they were just pupils it seemed, there was no sign of any iris or white anywhere. On top of that they looked dry and absolutely dead, as if this Vico was but a walking corpse.

Vico nodded and then he spoke for the first time. Hebe had expected his voice to be weak and high-pitched to fit his fragile form, but it was deep and resounding, almost like Apollo when he sang.  
>"I know what to say to Zeus. And I know what to say to Hera. That you are holding her daughter, and that the girl is unharmed - so far. I will tell the Olympians that they have six hours to let Enkelados and his sons out of the Tartarus. And that they will release the Titans on the shore of the White Sea, on the eastern side of the river Dvina. If Zeus does not cooperate the Titans will have Hera's daughter. I will also give the Olympian this to show that we mean business."<p>

At that moment Vico reached out and what he did was so scary and strange that Hebe almost fainted. He reached through the dimensions and grabbed around her necklace with a bony hand. In an instance she felt the death cold of his skeleton-like hand against her skin as he tore the jewelry from her neck and by the next heartbeat his hand withdrew and he tucked the necklace down in his chest pocket.  
>"This I will show to Hera," Vico turned to Peratola and patted his chest pocket with an almost erotic gesture. "This I will show the so called Queen of Heaven to make sure she knows we mean business."<p>

The next second Vico was gone from the side of the Chthonian lady and she looked at his empty spot with a grin on her ugly face. Shivering Hebe reached for her neck to make sure she hadn't imagined what just had taken place. But it was true, her Olympian necklace, the sign of her birthright was gone. That being had taken it, even though it should be impossible! Then everything went dark.


	13. Divine Quest

_**Kratos** was the god of strength, might, power and sovereign rule. He and his brother Zelos (Rivalry) and his sisters Nike (Victory), Bia (Force) were the enforcers of Zeus, angel-like beings who often stood in attendance of the heavenly throne. The **Erinyes** were three goddesses who avenged crimes against the natural order._

* * *

><p><strong>Divine quest<strong>

The Negotiator arrived at Olympos early the next morning. The sun was still a burning orange, hanging low over the horizon and painting elongated shadows across the land when the stranger sought admittance at the Grand Gate. At the specific order of Zeus, the Negotiator became let in, even if the Centaur guards on post felt quite hesitant about acknowledging a being which radiated such a strong, alien and most of all malign aura. Nonetheless, this was Olympos - home for the mightiest among the race of immortal gods. Besides, Zeus himself came to meet the stranger, in a designated 'hall of common' just inside of the main gate, a place where the gods received visitors they for one reason or another did not want to let in into the heart of Olympos.

The stranger came alone, which surprised Zeus the most. No escort or fancy bodyguards. No entourage of yellow-fanged badasses carrying foul weapons. There was only this pale, almost gaunt mixed-species being and he was unarmed save for a dagger in each booth and one tucked inside of his oxblood-coloured woolen jacket. But those knifes were not intended for gods, since they were made from mere iron rather than a magic matter like adamantine. They were probably there to give the bearer a sense of safety against other figures he might encounter during his journey. Mortal road bandits and robbers. Thus the Negotiator was allowed to keep his daggers, nothing to fuzz over, was the divine guards' conclusion.

Zeus though didn't come unaccompanied, he was followed by Hermes and Athena and with solemn faces the trio filed into the wall less hall of commons where the inclining rays of the sun shone in between the thick pillars that carried up the roof. The gods' snow white cloaks were billowing behind them in the morning breeze, which together with their brilliant auras were giving them an awe-inspiring appearance. Yet the scrawny stranger appeared unusually indifferent to their guise. Sparse pleasantries, not a single word more than what politeness demanded, were exchanged and the King of the Gods offered seats around a marble table. Then he asked the stranger to present his case. In reply the stranger reached inside his chest pocket and pulled out an electrum necklace with a familiar pendant dangling from it. The Double Star of Olympos, the charm carried by every divine inhabitant of the mountain, and only by them. Its aura was still radiating Hebe's patterns.

The gods did their best to not showing any emotions as the stranger placed the jewelry on the marble table in front of him while his enigmatic obsidian eyes appeared to be scrutinizing the gods one by one.  
>"You know we have her now." he said curtly. "And she's fine - for the time being."<br>"What do you want?" Zeus's reply was even more brisk.  
>"We want the release of certain prisoners. Titans residing in Tartarus. Namely Enkelados and his three sons."<br>"Enkelados, eh?" Zeus cooked a brow yet displayed no other emotion. "The slaughterer of gods and men alike. Why would anyone in his right mind want that freak wandering on the Earth plane again? Or his marauding sons who share their father's blood lust?"  
>"Those I represent are his friends and allies. They resent the fact that Enkelados is locked up and will do anything to let him out."<br>"And if we should refuse?"

The stranger almost snorted.  
>"You're not a stupid man, Zeus. You must understand that my employers will kill your step daughter. And it will not be a fast or merciful death. I am certain that's why your queen is not with you here, nor any of the girl's siblings. You want to keep them outside this."<br>"That is not the case," Zeus said. "Hera chose herself to not come down here today. I guess you can understand why if you have children or other family members yourself."  
>"I might do. But pleading to that detail wouldn't help in the matter."<br>"I didn't expect it to. If I should consider releasing Enkelados, I must trust you to let Hebe go. You must bring her to the very same spot where the Titan will be set free so we may see that she's unharmed before we keep our part of the deal."

"It was anticipated that you'd ask such a thing. And we have no use for Hebe after Enkelados is out of his prison. So here's the deal! Bring the Titans to shore of the White Sea, on the eastern side of the river Dvina. Within six hours. We will bring Hebe to the same place and then release her at the very instant we're seeing the Titans walking freely of any restraints or shackles. And no smoke and mirrors, no holograms, specters or disguised gods, the people I represent have the way to see through such travesties."

At the same second Athena reached out and took Hebe's necklace. The stranger made no move to stop her. Then Zeus nodded slightly:  
>"You have my words. At the shore of the White Sea, on the eastern side of the river Dvina. Within six hours. Enkelados with sons will walk freely. And so will Hebe."<p>

The king of the gods then rose and nodded to his children before he dismissed the stranger. And before Vico knew it, he was back outside the perimeter of the divine mountain. He still felt a bit shaken. It had almost been too easy. But then the great king must really love his wife...

0O0O0

When the stranger had left, Zeus looked at Athena:  
>"Well?"<br>"A bit more than 750 miles north-north-east of here. In the heart of the Urals. It's a rather desolate settlement, located in a narrow valley between high mountains, but it won't be a problem sneaking in there. I plan to take Ares and Herakles with me and perhaps one or two more and then go in."  
>"You think you can keep a leach on Ares?" Zeus asked and sighing thoughtfully while the worried wrinkle deepened on his tanned forehead. "I don't want him to go berzerk and risk Hebe's wellbeing by doing so."<br>"Father, Ares loves his little sister. If lying low is the best thing to do he'll sure do that. But I won't hesitate letting him lose after we've taken Hebe away from there. I even think he might be impossible to stop then." The last was said with an almost wicked grin crossing Athena's lips.

"We don't have much time." Hermes pointed out.  
>"We'll be off within an hour." Athena confirmed. "And it'll take us about 30 minutes to get there. The place is hidden by magic but I'm quite sure we can break through the barriers, either with our own skills or with the gadgets Hephaestos made me."<br>"I'm trusting you in this, Athena," Zeus said. "As so many times before. Take Nemesis with you too. She's good at sneaking into places. And I'll let you have Kratos and the Erinyes as a backup. Leave them outside to begin with and deploy them only if you should fail. Kratos can be every bit as wild as Ares sometimes."

"Thank you, dad! I'll show myself worthy of your trust. I'm going to gather the others now. We'll arm ourselves and be off as soon as possible. Now, go home and let Hera know!"  
>"You don't think the stranger suspected anything?" Hermes asked.<br>"I would've discerned if that was the case," Zeus replied. "Now, let's go, Athena has a lot to take care of and we won't hinder her anymore. All luck, child of mine!"

Zeus gave his beloved daughter a quick hug and then he and Hermes took in the air and flew back to the Main Palace to inform Hera and the others of the latest development. Athena waited a few seconds by the reception house, squeezing Hebe's necklace in her hands, watching the sun rise, chasing away the lingering mists among the trees and paint her mountaintop home in brilliant colours, letting another day begin. She saw flowers open up to receive the light and birds darting to and from among the trees and she felt her eyes sting. She loved her step sister as if they had been flesh and blood and she would do everything in her power to get Hebe unharmed out of the beasts nest. It was easy for Athena to recall the little strawberry-blond girl who used to come running up to her, squeezing her legs while cheering 'Ena, Ena!'. No, no one was going to harm that dear child, she swore it!

Athena had used her 'backtracking power' to see where that creature Vico had come from. This power was one really unique gift she had inherited from her mother. 'A source of wisdom' Metis had told her when Athena was young and her mother had taught her to use it. It was a seldom-deployed magic because it was a bit nauseating, but Athena had once compared it to using a far-sight but making it all go backwards. This time it had been necessary. Using the backtracking power she had followed the emissary's journey backwards until she had seen the place he had emerged from and the chthonian woman who had given him his orders.

She had discussed it with Zeus first, told what she was planning to do, and they had agreed upon that when Athena was done backtracking she'd make an 'obvious gesture' as a sign, since they weren't sure how much telepathy they dared to use in front of the stranger. Thus Athena had grabbed Hebe's necklace and her father had understood. Now it was time for the real action to start. Athena and the others were going to teach these bastards that no one messed with the Olympians without paying severely for it.

0O0O0

"No, Palaistra," Hermes told firmly.  
>"But why?"<br>"Zeus has ordered Athena to go there with Ares, Herakles and Nemesis. I would've loved to go as well, but it's a sneak operation. If the whole Olympos is to crash their gates, the Titans and Chthonians will most definitely harm Hebe."  
>"But she's my best friend!"<br>"And this is no vendetta game. This is not about revenge, Hebe is very much alive and we want to assure that she stays that way. And that is done by only sending a small force in. It's better you remain here and are ready to take care of Hebe when she's back again."  
>"You think she will?"<br>"I am very much certain of that," Palaistra's father stated. "After all its Athena who's leading the group in and I have every faith in that sister of mine."

0O0O0

"There's nothing here!" Nemesis stated and stared down the barren canyon, squinting her eyes against the low-standing sun which reflected itself brightly in all the snow. The place was located northward enough for the sun to be low in the sky in spite of it being mid-morning. At first glance it appeared as if the goddess of revenge and retribution was right. She was standing in the air, gazing down the steep mountain walls at what appeared to be nothing more than an ice covered river down in the shade at the bottom of a deep, narrow ravine. There was absolutely naught to be seen save for that large snake of ice surrounded by snow, ice and boulders. And then more snow. Nothing living stirred save for the four deities and some circling birds at the far end of the clearing, mountain hawks searching in vain for something to feed on.

"It's well hidden." Athena replied, looking at her colleague whose face was almost covered in a black leather cowl. Nemesis almost always hid her face when she went into battle, she said it made her look more intimidating. And perhaps she was right. A pretty face scared no one. And Nemesis was far too attractive to really scare anyone with her jet black curls and big, green eyes cornered by long, dark lashes.  
>"Yes, I can sense it," Ares said, his breath turning into mist in the cold. The way it came wafting out from under his crested helmet made him look scary too. "It's down there to the right, halfway built into the rock of the mountain wall. And it's a large structure. Large and old, I can imagine that it has been built upon and expanded for centuries. New corridors and halls blasted out of the mountain constantly."<br>"So how do we get in without rising too much hoopla, which we will definitely do if we try to bombard those walls with magic breakers?" Herakles asked. He wasn't dressed up in any way, he wore just utilitarian brown leathers and a knitted woolen cap. The god of strength never bothered with war paint or other scary attributes when going into battle, he counted on his large form to do the work for him. Besides he felt these things being more tacky than anything else. A soldier should be a soldier, not a play actor, he believed.

"We have to bomb it, Herc," Ares said. "The place is impregnable against anything but strong magic. We'll have to use the most brutal of forces to..."  
>"Ares!" Athena cut her little brother off. "You should know that no place is really impregnable. There'll always be a way out for the things the inhibitors want to get rid of."<br>"And that should be?" Ares again.  
>"The sewers. Herakles, you might remember how you got into the castle of king Anterias. We're going the same way."<p>

"The shit holes!" Ares wrinkled his nose beneath the helmet. "You mean we're going through the toilets. Is that a way worthy of gods?"  
>"If we want to get Hebe out it is," Nemesis snapped.<br>"You're right, little brother. It's actually not a way worthy of gods," Athena smiled wickedly. "That's why they won't expect us to use it. If they'd ever expect us to come here at all. And I know where the nearest exit point is now!"  
>"Then let's go in!" Herakles urged. He too felt a bit revolted at the thought but did his best not to show it.<br>"One more thing first," Athena said, reached inside of her backpack and hauled out a tiny leader purse from which she produced four cherry-sized and purplish scarlet looking orbs. "We don't know what we'll meet in there so I think we'll require some ambrosia to shape up our reflexes and endurance."

"Euughr!" Nemesis gulped. "Do we really have to?"  
>"Nemi, I wouldn't bring them otherwise. Better safe than sorry!" Athena replied and then she handed out the orbs. Even Herakles made a face when he swallowed the greasy, umami-tasting drug. Ares was the only one who didn't present a complaint. He just appeared dutiful.<br>"Now we're ready to go. Lead on, Ares!" Athena ordered. She sent one last glance behind her at Kratos and the Erinyes who were waiting on a higher leveled crest as back-up. Kratos gave her a thumbs-up sign and Athena waved back at her father's enforcer.

With the God of War in the lead the foursome flew down in the canyon and dived into the river at a spot where the streams were flowing a bit more rapidly and where the layer of ice was thinner than elsewhere. Ares was the first to enter and his big knuckles smashed into the ice, shattering it to pieces. Then he lunged down in the rapidly streaming and ice cold, green water with the other three not far behind. Herakles felt the deathly chill of the water in a blink of an eye before his shielding kicked in and wrapped its protective magic around him, preventing his body from becoming affected by the cold. He thought back upon the time where he and his nephew Iolas had taken the castle of Anterias. Then it had been only them, against what seemed like an invincible force of protectors, yet that hadn't stopped him from doing what he felt was the right thing to do. And it sure felt the same now!

Today he flew in with far more powerful allies, and he knew that Kratos and the Erinyes were waiting out there as backup too. However he also knew that these enemies were far more resourceful than Anterias had ever been. If he and the other Olympians were to get Hebe out from the fortress unharmed they had to be very smart and clever. And they had to trust Athena. If anyone knew strategies, she did. She had shown that more than once. Herakles just hoped Ares could be trusted to not berserk. His temper could be unreliable to say the least. Then there was Nemesis, Herakles knew next to nothing about this goddess, he had only met her briefly earlier. She was one of those who were seldom seen at Olympos, spending most of their time down in the mortal world on one duty or another. How good was she in battle, how much could he trust her? He wasn't sure, he thought as he swam upstream, following in the wake of Athena. On the other hand the other two seemed to trust her well, and that ought to count for a lot. He guessed he'd just have to let Athena run this venture and rely on her.

Soon they left the streaming waters behind and plowed themselves through calmer parts of the river. The sighting here was bad, even using infra, and Herakles was not sure he dared lighting even the smallest of divine fire orbs even though he knew that these burned as well under water as in air. Instead he just followed Athena trough the dark green water as she neared a slimy, rugged rock and then started to ascend that one until they reached man-made wall (or at least a wall made by intelligent beings, Herakles thought.) There were the sewer hole, a small and round opening covered by rusty iron bars and Ares was hovering right next to it.

Now the god of war torn off the iron bars covering the sewer opening like they were made of paper. He turned and gave the finger sign which meant 'no magic deployed', they did not dare using telepathy in case anyone inside should be listening for that. Neither did they dare to do more than a rudimentary scan for sentient beings nearby. Without stopping Ares continued to led the way inside, the sewer hole was so narrow that they had to swim in a duck row one after the other. Ares went first followed by Nemesis and then Herakles and Athena took up the rear. She also took hold of the bars and put them back in place again. Herakles knew how she was reasoning. Better not taking any unnecessary risks that their breaking in should be discovered.

The pipe drew upwards and became narrower, at parts they had to squeeze themselves trough. And the stench was intolerable, until Herakles actually remembered he could now turn off his olfactory senses. Anyhow he didn't want to know what kept hitting him and soiled both his face, hair and clothes. But soon the pipe widened again and suddenly the Olympians could put their heads above water, pulling fresh oxygen into their lungs again. Here it wasn't pitch dark anymore, and Herakles felt his eye-sight switch from infrared to normal as a shaft of light shone down into the tunnel. Ares pointed upward with a questioning notion upon his face and Athena nodded. Herakles could sense it too, the place was deserted and it was probably very little used because the only soul patterns left were old and faded.

The Olympians had arrived into an abandoned and almost forgotten part of the cellar through their irregular entrance. The structure they had entered was waste and consisted of a maze of tunnels, corridors, rooms, halls and staircases. A labyrinthine place where you could easily get lost because there was magic at work in this place which affected the senses of direction and magnetism. Then Herakles felt something else. Something hot and bubbling, seismic movements in the ground. He had barely ended that thought when Nemesis said:  
>"Volcano."<p>

It was the first thing anyone had said in quite some time, and it felt strange to hear a voice again, echoing in the silence of slowly gurgling and dripping sewer water. Athena cast Nemesis a glance and at the same time Ares slid out of the water and levitated up to the grid that was closing the sewer from the tunnel above them. Once again he removed the irons, but quite a bit more careful this time. He too could feel it, the place was under surveillance, even though there was probably no one paying attention to the magic sentinel system. Herakles knew the syndrome, a too well guarded place made its inhibitors growing lax after a while and not paying enough attention to the perimeters. He had slid the troths of plenty enough sentries sleeping on their posts over the years.

Soon the Olympians were out of the stinking gutters and this time Ares replaced the grid himself. And sure, the place was deserted, save for some gray rats which scurried away down the long and narrow hallway the four gods had arrived up into, their feet splashing in stale puddles of water on the rough stone floor. That water came dripping down from the ceiling, the way it tended to do underground when a place was not properly drained. Now the Olympians dared to use the little magic they needed to dry themselves off and get rid of the awful reek of fecal. Then they turned to Athena who had the most accurate sense of direction. She hesitated a second, then she nodded her head in a northward direction.  
>"Can you sense Hebe?" Ares asked.<br>"Not yet. But there are sentient beings a few floors up, and this is the easiest way to get there. "

0O0O0

Hebe had not been able to cope anymore. After the monster called Vico had torn off her necklace her capturers had left her in peace in her hole. For the time being. Now she gave in to the flood of tears that started to stream from her dark eyes. Curled up in fetal position she cried until she felt as if her heart was going to break apart. She was so scared, and she felt so abandoned. Sure, Zeus was not going to accept letting out the dreaded Enkelados from his horrid prison down under, the King of Gods would rather have her dying here in this desolate part of the world.

"Oh mother!" Hebe wept. "I should have listened to you, and been more concerned with my own safety, not going too far from Olympos or where anyone could reach me. I was never a strong goddess, I was made for taking care of little ones. I was made for tutelage and love. Not for war. That's for gods like Ares and Athena. They'd make it out of here. They'd... Oh mamaaaa..."

She so wished that someone... that somebody... That Zeus would... What did her mother do, would she try to save her? Did she dare to go against Zeus in the case? Horrendous thoughts chased trough Hebe's brain. She didn't even dare to begin thinking about what would happen to her when the six hours were over. What those awful beings had in mind for her poor soul. And all just because she had...

Hebe must have drifted off in sleep because suddenly her whole being was jerked wide awake, wispy images of dreams fading fast from her memories. What was it...?

Then she felt it again. A slight tremor in the ground. As if something was...

Stirring she felt her eyes widen. Something had happened. She could feel it. Something had changed. But she did not know what.

0O0O0

Herakles felt it too. A shivering of the ground. A quake? The other's faint reactions told him that they had sensed it too even if no one felt the need to comment it. Athena was leading the way through long, snaking corridors and up narrow spiraling stairs, trusting the slight light which seemed to be emitting from sparse magic light points, showing a place in decay with rust covered iron details and wall plaster coming apart, wide cracks showing the bricks and mortar behind. The goddess found hidden doors not used in ages which she opened up, careful not to break any locks with magic but rather using some lock pickers she had got from Hephaestos. Ares held his drawn sword firmly clasped in his hand, but they met no one to engage. Those lover levels were deserted it seemed. And not a sign of Hebe anywhere. Or any other prisoner. Just those damn rats.

They skulked those halls for about an hour, the silence deafening and the only illumination the sparse magic points and their own flames of divine light. Then, just as it was beginning to become boring, the beast attacked. The monster came speeding down a tunnel where they had just turned a corner and with a vociferous growling it assailed them.  
>"Hydra!" Ares called out.<br>"And not a small one either." Herakles returned. In an instance he recalled the other hydra he had fought in Lerneia almost 40 years ago. And he remembered the classic problem with those beasts. "Don't cut the heads off!" he went on.  
>"I know," Ares returned as he was stabbing at the beast's belly, trying to cut it up.<p>

"So how do we kill the darn thing?" Nemesis yelled and ducked for a spew of toxic liquid from one of the five gaps, and retreated into the corridor to the left. The hydra spew hit a pipe right behind where Nemesis had been a second ago and the metal started to erode with a hissing sound. Herakles blinked, this hydra might be smaller but its venom seemed more potent than its Lerneian cousin.  
>"Here! Catch!" Athena replied and threw a tiny ball at her colleague. As Nemesis reached up and caught the ball Athena went on: "Throw it in the gap of the beast, its poison. It'll kill in an instance. Ares! Herakles! You too!"<p>

Athena threw two more balls towards her brothers who were not late to catch them. Finally she took two more and aimed for two of the bellowing gaps of the hydra. As the first head swallowed its ball it seemed to hesitate for a second or two, then the eyes turned inside out and the head slumped down on its long neck, immobile. A few seconds later the second head followed suit. The next moment, as Nemesis, Ares and Herakles threw their balls too, the rest of the heads collapsed one by one and then the whole monster tipped over and crashed against the wall, becoming immobile. Dead as a passenger of Charon's. All the four Olympians had to do then was levitate over the dead monster, squeezing through the narrow parts where the beast's body almost met the ceiling and then continue their trek through those seemingly endless corridors and upstairs with withering steps.

The next obstacle was a booby trap. Suddenly Herakles felt the stone beneath him move just slightly as he stepped on it. In the same instance as he called out a warning a grinding sound was heard from above. The next second a fencing of iron bars fell down from a narrow, previously unnoticed, opening in the ceiling and with a resounding clang and a cloud of dust and mortar it hit the floor, cutting off the tunnel. Only a heartbeat later a second fencing fell down right behind the four gods, fencing them in and almost slicing off Nemesis' leather clad behind. Now that neat little cage would have locked any being in - save for a collection of Olympian gods, to whom thick iron bars were no predicament at all. Athena, who was first in line, only huffed at the presumed imprisonment. Then she grabbed two of the vertical bars and simply ripped them off the construction. After a second of though she ripped off a third as well, making an opening large enough for all of them to step through without any problem.

"Only waited for something like that to happen," Ares said when they were trough. "I'm more like surprised we haven't encountered more of those obstacles along the way."  
>"Perhaps there used to be more, but that they have seized to function over the years," Herakles replied. You know, this place isn't that well taken care of."<br>"No, I'd call it neglected, and that'd been an understatement," Nemesis huffed.  
>"I hope that trap didn't trigger some kind of alarm however," Athena thought. "That would make us lose our element of surprise. On the other hand I have a feeling that we're soon to have other problems coming up."<br>"Like what? Real beasts to fight this time?" Ares asked.  
>"Definitely," his sister confirmed. "But that was not what I had in mind."<br>"Then what?" Ares again.  
>"You'll see," Athena said.<p>

Soon they felt it once more, how the ground trembled again, heavier this time. They saw mortar or some other dust coming pouring down from the ceiling and the sound of falling stones was heard from somewhere behind them. Nemesis looked behind her, concern in her jade-coloured eyes.  
>"It's the volcano," she said, her voice husky. "Something is stirring it."<br>"I know, it's very much alive and kicking." Athena replied. "Maybe we can use it. "  
>"But if it erupts. We will never find Hebe." Ares sounded worried.<br>"We will get to her in time." Athena tried to assuage him.  
>"How do you know that?"<br>"Trust me... Look!"

They had turned a corner and in front of them a waste hall opened. No, it was not a hall. It was a cave. An almost circular hollow filled with a flickering orange-red light. The foursome now stepped out in the large grotto trough a roughly drilled or blasted hole and arrived upon a narrow crest. Looking down in the abyss below Herakles saw where the light came from. Burning lava boiled deep down in a caldera below them with a frighteningly thundering sound. And the next thing he saw took the breath away from his chest.


	14. The Vulcano

**The Vulcano**

Hera was half lying on the coach, covered by a burgundy woolen blanket and staring out in the empty air as if seeing nothing when Zeus entered the room.  
>"Honey?" he begun, pulling out a chair and sitting down next to his wife. Hera though, made no reply, to be true she didn't make the slightest hint of revealing if she had heard him or not.<br>"Hera?" he tried again, striking gently over her forehead, wiping away a few strands of dark brown hair. He glanced at the untouched food on its plates on the sideboard. "Honey, sitting like this doing nothing doesn't help anyone."

Hera blinked but made no move to reply. Zeus sighed, he suddenly felt so burdened. A daughter of Olympos lost, a girl whom he had almost come to consider his very own little girl in spite of her having another father. True, he hadn't shown Hebe that much affection over the years, but that had been because of diffidence rather than resentment. He promised himself that if - no make that when - Hebe had returned home again, it would change. Now he had to do something about his beloved wife though, who was closing herself into a heartbreaking sadness.  
>"Please..." he begun. "My love, eight gods are out there to get your daughter home again. They will make it. Trust me! Trust Athena! You have always trusted Athena."<p>

Now Hera stirred slightly. She turned her head and looked at her husband with red-rimmed chestnut eyes.  
>"You think... they'll get there in time?"<br>"They will, dearest. They sure will."  
>"Are you honest now, Zeus?"<br>"Hera..." gently he stroke her cheek, caressed her face with tender fingers.  
>"Are you honest?"<br>"Yes I am, Hera! I know the powers of those gods and goddesses. I know their skill and endurance. As do you!"  
>"Darling, what if they fail? You have two hours now before... did you ever consider letting Enkelados go?"<p>

O0O0O

"Never, Hera, trust me in that. That being was a mad killer and his offspring was nothing better. He's better off locked up in the Tartarus."  
>"But you could release him and then kill him afterwards?"<br>"It's not that easy and you know it. We'd have to capture him once again and it could become even more fatal for every one of us if we failed to do so. Because we'd have to battle not only him and his wicked sons, but those other Titans who have been plotting for his release as well. Not to mention what that horrendous beast would certainly do to other unfortunate beings who might cross his path. No, we cannot have Enkelados back on Earth. Not under any circumstances. Now, Hera, why don't you eat something?"

"Have you heard anything from Athena?"  
>"No, but I told her to not communicate. Telepathic silence is important in a matter like this. We can't go on chit-chatting and risking being overheard."<br>"Zeus, I'm scared..." Hera whispered and her sensitive dark eyes were overflowing again.  
>"Hush, sweetie!" He took her in his arms and rocked her gently, kissing the top of her head. He so wished he could feel as confident as he had tried to sound. But fact was that he knew nothing about those beings that held poor Hebe and what they were capable of.<p>

0O0O0

A hard kick in the ribs woke Hebe up from her troubled sleep. She had been dreaming about returning to Olympos, only to find her mountain abode deserted and laid waste, crumbling ruins being the only thing left of her beloved home. She had dreamt about walking around in those ruins, calling out names, calling for her mother, for Ares, Palaistra, Athena and Hephaestos. Calling for Zeus, Demeter and Apollo. But there had been no one there to answer her calls. Not a single soul, just a burned down wasteland, reminding her very little of what had once been. And over it all hung a dark and foreboding, overcast sky, letting little light trough, making it almost impossible to figure out if it was day or night. And the gale wind had gusted debris around, leftovers of lost lives.

Now she had been brutally awakened into a reality very much as dreadful as her dream. She was no longer in the oubliette, she felt that immediately. But that was no comfort. Her capturers had moved her elsewhere, probably using instant magic transportation. Otherwise she would have woken up the same time they'd tried to lift or drag her physically somewhere. Now Hebe found herself lying cheek down on another chilly floor, a wooden one this time, where dirt and grime had been trampled down for what appeared to be centuries.

"Get up asshole!" she recognized the voice as Ohly's. Then the ogre kicked her once again, right in her stomach, and Hebe wondered why she felt such pain. Probably her shielding had become totally corrupt by those restraints she was still wearing, even if they were not connected to the oubliette's floor anymore. She tried not to moan as she staggered up into a knee-standing position, her hands touching the unclean and unpleasantly cold wood which was worn soft by a lot of feet walking across it. She didn't know what was harder to endure, the pain or the shame of it.  
>"Get up, I said! Olympian bitch!" This time Ohly pulled at her hair, forcing her up into standing position. Hebe's knees were weakened and her calves burned from a pain like nothing she had ever felt before. What had they done to her, these beings?<p>

Grimacing against the ache she felt in her scalp and in her legs Hebe was forced to stand up on her wobbly legs and she was also assaulted by the stench of Ohly. He reeked of some wile blend of rotten eggs, bad cheese and sour wine. And most of all unwashed ogre, accordingly the goddess fought against the nausea it was causing her.  
>"All right, Ohly." someone called out. "It's not yet time. They still have about two hours left to present us with Enkelados."<p>

It was Peratola, whose glowing red eyes were set upon Hebe and Ohly. She stood with her large bat wings folded and her hands on her hips, razor sharp claws glowing in the light of several chemical fire bowls and a scornful smirk plastered in her ugly face, as she was slightly baring her sharp fangs.  
>"Yeah but I can still have some fun with the wench, right?"<p>

"Ohly, your stupid ass, if you corrupt the Olympian you might never see your uncle again. And I might never get my revenge over my fallen sisters. So I'm warning you!" She pointed a finger at the Titan and then she nodded her head:  
>"Into the cage with the girl, Ohly! And no stupid tries or I'll deal with you later."<p>

Grunting the Titan began to push Hebe around, and now she saw it, a tiny cage with bars made out of some strange magic material which she probably wouldn't have been able to break even if she had got her divine powers under full control. The next second she was forced into it with a hard push between her shoulder blades and she fell with her forehead and nose against the bars, the unusual pain shooting through her head like an arrow. At the same time she heard the door slam shut behind her and a key being turned around in a lock. The cage was too small for her to stand up and too narrow to sit down comfortable in too. Now anger took over her former fear. Was she really going to accept being treated like this?

Cursing, Hebe spun around, and grabbed at the bars with whitening fists as she felt the rage starting to boil in her chest.  
>"Let me out of here, you fuckers, give me back my divine powers which are my rights and let's settle this woman against woman!" she called to Peratola. She didn't know where she got the courage, but perhaps she was simply tired of being pushed around and mistreated by this she-freak and the stinking and lame-brained monsters working for her.<p>

"You won't stand a chance against me even with your magics." Peratola replied scornfully. "And the Kreladorban shackles make sure that your divine magic remains thwarted under any circumstances. So pipe down, chicken. You have nothing to say around here. Either your step father releases Enkelados, and you may go if I see it fit. Or he won't and then I'll let Ohly and his brothers have you while I go looking for other means to get my revenge."

Hebe tried a last desperate idea:  
>"What if I help you then? What if I help you get your revenge against this Chernobog? Will you let me go then?"<p>

Peratola paused a second, as if actually thinking over Hebe's proposition. Then she replied:  
>"And what can you do against a full blooded Chthonian?"<br>"Very little that's true. But my brother Ares..."  
>"Enough of this already!" Peratola waved a strong and clawed hand dismissingly against Hebe. "If the blood thirsty Ares or any other Olympian would help me the revenge wouldn't be mine. So what you suggest matters very little to me. The revenge must be mine, that's the only thing sufficiently essential."<p>

"But if you get Enkelados's help, wouldn't it be the same thing?" Hebe tried, but Peratola had lost patience with her.  
>"Shut up, Olympian!" she yelled and kicked at the cage. The way she said Olympian made it sound almost like an insult, and it stabbed at Hebe's heart and pride hearing it, although she sort of felt an offbeat glee at having got in the last word in the argumentation.<br>"Now take her out of here and down to the caldera!" Peratola then turned to Ohly and the few other Titans who had gathered behind him.  
>"And then what?" she heard Ohly.<br>"We wait." Peratola snapped.

0O0O0

"Can't we use the sight pool, see what's going on?" Demeter asked, looking at Zeus who still sat with an almost catatonic Hera in his strong arms, rocking her gently. Demeter was worried too; she had never seen the strong and mighty Hera in such a destroyed state. Almost as if she had lost her will to live, and that only Zeus' immense soul energies were keeping her going.  
>"No, we cannot," Zeus said. "We know where the place is, thanks to Athena, but it's blocked by powerful magic."<br>"And I can't believe it's too powerful for you, Zeus! So why..."  
>"Demeter, I am very much able to break the magic barrier down, that's true, but I dare not trust that it'll pass unnoticed and then I'll blow Athena and the other's element of surprise."<p>

"There's a way around it," Hephaestos said, where stood leant against the stovetop, his facial expression echoing the one of Hera's. His voice made Hera look up and for the first time in hours she said something.  
>"What? Tell us, son!"<br>"We can't see what's going on there _now_, that's true. But we might see what'll happen. And not there but here. If we see Hebe and the rest around at Olympos within say a week, we'll know they're going to make it. Apollo ought to give it a try!"  
>"Zeus, can that work?" Hera asked, turning to look at her husband. "Without endangering Athena and the rest?"<br>"Yes," Zeus nodded slowly. "Yes it might actually work. Thank you, Heph!"

0O0O0

Herakles, Athena, Ares and Nemesis were staring at rows and rows of cages hanging over the underground volcano caldera, held up by an intricate system of chains, wires and winches. Most of these caves were empty but some of them held burned remnant of what had once been beings. Those corpses were so damaged, so beyond recognition that it was impossible to tell if they had been humans, titans, trolls, giants, ogres, nymphs or any other specimen. The only thing left were swarthy, humanoid forms with staring sculls looking almost accusatory at the four Olympians. As if their gaping yaws were crying out 'why didn't you come for us? Why didn't you save us, gods?'

"That's the most awful..." Athena said under her breath and even Ares muttered something.  
>"Who could have performed these atrocities?" Herakles asked. "Are these the ones we're looking for?"<br>"I bet they are," Ares replied. "Typically ogre style. I've seen similar stuff before with that kind. They're completely without compassion and dignity."  
>"Whoever did this I'll get and bestow with the same treatment!" Nemesis spat, clutching her fists while obviously making a face behind her mask. "They will live to feel what it's like to be boiled slowly alive!"<br>"Yes," Athena replied. "You might get your chance to do so, Nemi. But first we'll get Hebe. And now I'm quite sure where to find her. See that gape over there?" she pointed in a forward direction almost opposite of where the gods had come from. "There's the other way in and since we came from unused parts of this compound, that opening is the obvious way to our enemies. And to Hebe. Come, let's go! Ares, you take up the rear and keep an eye open for our backs in case anything should come out of that cellar entrance or any of those smaller openings along the way!"

With those orders from Athena the four of them set off around the caldera in a counter-clockwise direction, Herakles feeling himself having trouble avoiding looking at the hideous corpses in their caves, wondering why this kind of evilness never stopped surprising and troubling him. He should've been used to it now after all the things he had seen.

The path towards the large opening was narrow and once again they had to traverse in a row, like ducklings after their mother. Now the ground began to heave again, stones coming tumbling from somewhere above them, bouncing against the rock wall before falling down and disappearing in the red glow of the boiling lava. That lava which suddenly seemed to grow brighter and boil even worse as if something down below was warming up. This was what mortals thought the Hades looked like and Herakles understood them. A more fearful place was hard to imagine, if you hadn't travelled the dimensions the way the gods did and saw the really strange places out there. These days Herakles knew what the Hades looked like and it was a far cry from this place but at the same time just as dreadful.

The next second Herakles felt his shielding slam shut and then a large bolder hit against the back of his head, the divine forces sparkling around him as they split the stone into smithereens. He cursed out loud but Athena barely turned around.  
>"That was just a stone, bro'. Nothing to fuzz about."<br>"Easy for you to say, I've never been hit by one this size before. As a mortal it would've killed me in a second."

Athena didn't even bother replying and the Olympians walked on in silence.

0O0O0

"What do you see, Apollo?" Zeus looked at his oldest son who sat in the living room of his home with the scrying bowl in his lap, a gilded lyre and some papers with sheet music resting by his feet. Two of the muses, Eutherpe and Melpomene were looking on with curious faces.  
>"I don't... know," the god of oracles and prophesies replied and made a face. "It's strange… Something unusual will happen."<br>"What?" Demeter asked where she had sat down next to Zeus.  
>"I'm not sure. It's more a sensation than a real sight." With a frustrated gesture, Apollo pushed back blond locks from his face, as if that would help him see better.<br>"But – can't you see if Hebe and the rest will make it? Will be okay?" Zeus pressed on.  
>"Father, I'm not sure. I just see Herakles with a lot of water surrounding him. And then he's fencing with Ares over something that seems to matter a lot more than a regular training session. Ares is somewhat aggravated over something."<p>

"Apollo, it's not your brothers that interest me now, and you should know it. It's Hebe."  
>"Sorry but I don't see her. And if I try to see her all I get is this feeling of oddity. Like I'm facing what I'd least expected. I'm sorry, I can't help you more than that, father."<br>"You can't see her at all?" Demeter sounded anxious.  
>"I just said I do not!" Apollo almost snarled. "Or I'd certainly tell you!"<br>"I'll guess I'll have to be content for now," Zeus mumbled. "But do give it another try later, Pol. And if you do make something more out of it, come to me about it."  
>"I see Hera in the rain. Drawing magic circles."<br>"Yeah, yeah that happens," Zeus said dismissingly and rose from his chair. "Do give it a try later."

As the King of the Gods and The Goddess of Growth left Apollo pushed the sighting bowl aside and cursed.  
>"Damn anomalies and disturbances!"<br>"What's wrong, dear?" Melpomene asked as she picked up her flute indicating that she wanted to resume the music.  
>"The last two years sighting has been so hard. I dunno if it's solar flare activities or something else but the views towards possible futures have become so wavering and blurred. Distortions everywhere. I keep getting erupting volcanoes and visions of Dionysos' late mother and what-nots. And all this time this annoying feeling that we all are in for some big surprise."<br>"And that should be?"  
>"Gimme a break, Eutherpe, I can't friggin' see it! And that's the main problem. Don't you think I'd told both dad and you what it was otherwise?"<p>

Eutherpe lowered her flute as tears began to flood her big cobalt eyes and Apollo regretted his words in an instance.  
>"I'm sorry, Terpie, I'm sorry for the hard words! I didn't mean any of them." He reached out with his arms and cradled his half-sister to himself, continuing: "It's just that I feel so inadequate."<p>

0O0O0

"It's warming up," Hebe could hear Peratola say as they began their descent towards whatever faith awaited the goddess.  
>"What?" Ohly asked. He was carrying the front end of the iron rod which had been threaded through a ring mounted on the top of Hebe's cage and another Titan was carrying the rear end of that rod. The walk was uneven and the cage swung to and from, giving Hebe trouble to remain somewhat still and avoiding bouncing into the cage material all the time. That hurt a lot and gave her bruises, unusual sensations which made her fighting back tears again.<p>

Beside the two Titans holding the bar, there were about half a dozen ogres following then, grayish, hairless and sturdy beings, dressed only in loincloths and necklaces of chains and what appeared to be bones and teeth of other beings and grasping all kinds of weapons, most of them looking human-made and most probably loathed. The ogres' small, crow-like eyes held cruelty and very little intelligence and under other circumstances the smelly beings would have disgusted Hebe more than scaring her.

"The volcano, stupid." Peratola said, hardly glancing over her shoulder to look at the wile procession she was in the lead of. "It is as if she know what's waiting for her. A far more prominent sacrifice this time than those petty nymphs and mortals we have been feeding her with so far. An Olympic goddess, should that ass Zeus fail to hand over Enkelados. It would please her greatly to have little Hebe for lunch. Don't you think so, Ohly?"  
>"But what about us?" The Titan protested. "You promised that we were allowed to have some fun with her before she was to meet her destiny."<br>"And you will, you will. The volcano don't care if the sacrifice has been a bit damaged. She'll digest it with good appetite anyway."

Hebe tried not to gasp out loud. A volcano? Did they mean to throw her down into...? With her divine powers in check that wouldn't have been any trouble, she could just have kept diving down in whatever lava fistula she found. But now she wondered how she would be coping. When a hit from a Titan beast pained her so much, how much wouldn't hot lava hurt? She could feel the adrenaline of fear starting to flow through her veins and she grasped even harder against the bars of her prison, trying in vain to break out. Then she lost the grip when the Titan holding the back end of the rod stumbled upon an uneven part of the walkway. Hebe bounced back against the rear grid and felt a slamming pain in her back as she took the hit. The next second she fell forward and once again she hit her forehead into the bars. Damn! This was - unendurable! And there was much worse to come, she was certain about that.

0O0O0

"How much time do we have?" Ares asked when the Olympians had reached about half the way around the cave. Here the narrow track had turned into a large platform, almost five metres wide, and the ground was polished even. This part of the yield was definitely in use, there were even litter lying around, like old fruit peel and textile rags. Hinted at ogres, Herakles thought, these beasts were always filthy. On the other hand it didn't exclude Titans he thought. After all he had encountered stranger alliances than that over the years.

"Not much longer now," Athena replied. "A bit more than an hour."  
>"Can we make it?" Herakles asked.<br>"Just trust me."  
>"But how do we find them within that short time span? It seems like an impossible venture in a labyrinthine place like this," Herakles doubted.<br>"We won't find them," Athena's voice held confidence. "They're coming to us."

0O0O0

Again the ground shuddered, even more violently this time, and something was falling, came crashing down the stairs they had just descended. Then a sharp yell as one of the ogres in the rear got hit.  
>"Peratola!" Ohly called out. "One of my men are hit. We need to stop to..."<br>"We'll see to him later," the chthonian snapped.  
>"But..."<br>"We don't have the time now. Send for someone to come and get him or whatever, but we're not stopping our descent for an injured ogre soldier."

Ohly cursed out loud and Hebe felt a sparkle of hope, a hope that the Titan should have had enough of the chthonian and initiate some kind of mutiny against his mistress. Then she might perhaps get a slight chance to escape. But apparently the beast was too dumb or too afraid of Peratola to do so, because he quieted down and kept on walking, carrying Hebe as recklessly before. And now she could hear it, a deep rumbling sound almost like thunder. As they turned yet another corner she became aware of an eerie orange glow, just like chemical fire. It has also gotten quite a bit warmer, something she hadn't noticed until now. They were most definitely closing in on whatever fate awaited her.

0O0O0

"What do you mean 'they're coming to us'?" Nemesis asked. "Are we to have a rendezvous?"  
>"Sort of," Athena answered while looking at some dark openings in the cave wall a bit above the larger breach. A 'second floor' of a kind.<br>"Sort of?" Nemesis prompted, her voice echoing the annoyance Herakles too felt. Athena was usually not secretive, so why this time?  
>"There are beings coming this way," Athena went on. "I've felt them for some time, and although their auras are masked I have a feeling that Hebe might be among them."<br>"I sense them too," Ares confirmed. "Titans and ogres and then some other kind of specimens."

"But what are they coming here for? Is this the way out or?" Herakles asked and gazed upwards, towards the tunnel roof. Perhaps there was a crater opening up there? Perhaps this was the main exit of this maze after all?  
>"I'm not sure yet," Athena said. "Other than that they will be here within half an hour."<br>"But, wouldn't they be going to the White Lake, if they are hoping for a release of Enkelados?" Nemesis wondered.  
>"Others just left for that undertaking," Athena told. "I felt them exit this place a while ago. Something I foresaw would happen, so I ordered Kratos and the Erinyes to keep an eye upon them. When the time is up, they'll deal with these guys."<p>

"But those coming here, Shall we intercept them?" Ares was asking.  
>"Nope, because I'm not sure about the way they'll take in this maze, and we can't risk losing them if they turn another way."<br>"But you're sure they're coming here?" Ares went on.  
>"Positive. So much can I understand of their thought patterns, they're hidden, that's true, but I keep getting images of this place all the time."<br>"So what do we do until then?" Herakles asked his sister.  
>"We wait."<p>

Suddenly Ares called out as he turned around. The next second Herakles could hear a rasping voice as he too looked behind:  
>"Now what do we have here? Intruders! Some stray little gods a long way from home I presume!"<p> 


	15. The eye of the storm

**The eye of the storm**

Suddenly Ares called out as he turned around. The next second Herakles could hear a rasping voice as he too looked behind:  
>"Now what do we have here? Intruders! Some stray gods a long way from home I presume!"<p>

"We got company!" Nemesis warned and within a heartbeat all four Olympians had their swords ready in their hands.  
>"The more the merrier!" Ares replied as he slit the troth of the first ogre in a shower of hot, burgundy blood. However the second foe swiveled around the War God and attacked Herakles, who in turn finished it off by pushing his sword into the ogre's belly and spilling the guts on the stone ground before he engaged the next beast and almost cut it in half, starting in the crotch. Next to him Nemesis simply kicked out and as her steel-clad boot connected she showed her attacker down in the caldera and the beast fell with a terrifying scream. At the same time Athena engaged two ogres and decapitated one while she grabbed the other one by the chain it had decorated itself with and pulled it down on the ground. Then, in one swift move, she cut its head off too, laughing scornfully at cheesy and impractical outfits. The third who came against her didn't fare any better, swiftly the War Goddess ducked its swinging axe and forced her sword in the belly of it in a repetition of what Herakles had done seconds earlier.<p>

As those ogres fell new ones came running, taking their place, and the foursome had to battle them as well. Ares, armed with an axe as well as his sword now, was battling three ogres and finishing them one by one, ducking and dancing away from their blows faster than any mortal eye would be able to follow. Herakles caught one of the falling stones and threw it at the next attacking ogre, hitting it in the mid-section before he jumped forward and beheaded it, cutting off the right leg of a second attacker in the same rapid move. Nemesis dived between two ogres who instead tumbled into each other, the larger of the two piercing its alley on the tip its sword.  
>"Suckers," she laughed scornfully as she rolled around on the floor and kicked up in the air, hitting an ogre in the crouch before she back-flipped and spun around, cutting another beast in half.<p>

Meanwhile Athena jumped up in the air and somersaulted over her approaching foe and as she landed behind the surprised ogre she pushed her sword right into its back instead. Finally Nemesis took care of the surviving ogre by cutting its right arm off and it went down screaming before she pushed her sword through its troth as well and the scream ended abruptly.

The fight became short and fierce, after all they were Olympians and two dozen of ogres were no game. When the last two of them turned and fled Athena ordered:  
>"Kill them! We can't have them raising an alarm now."<p>

Ares was quick to oblige, throwing two knives in a single instantaneous move, knives which buried themselves to the hilt into the back of the ogres. One fell flat on the stone while the other tumbled down into the crater where the lava now was boiling even fiercer. Athena ordered the other three to throw all the dead bodies down in the caldera, to clean the place of suspicious evidence. Meanwhile new earthquakes kept on following each other in an unrelenting stream and the rain of stones was almost as persistent as a water ditto in November.

If one stone had troubled Herakles he soon learned that number two and number three, not to mention number twenty seven (or something) mattered less. He was now certain that the place was going to blow sky high and he was also sure it had to do something with what Athena planned. But could they really hope to save Hebe if the volcano exploded? What if Hera's daughter was injured in some way and didn't survive a collapse? Herakles felt that Athena was taking a large risk here, but he didn't dare to say anything to his sister. There was something moody over her aura; as if she too was worried that she might have miscalculated.

Soon the ground stopped trembling and a few more stones plummeted down, almost as an afterthought. Then it became almost frightening calm. It seemed like even the lava had seized to boil as much as it had earlier. As if even the large volcano was holding its breath. Awaiting something. Athena held up a hand.  
>"They're here," she said. "Shield for invisibility!"<p>

0O0O0

Hebe's capturers had entered a walkway with large openings to the side, openings towards a waste hollow inside of the mountain. There the red glow was even stronger and it had become impossibly hot. Hebe felt sweat traversing down the back of her neck and her hair getting curly with moist. On top of that she was troubled by a terrible thirst and was licking her lips frantically to somewhat dull that awful sensation.

Suddenly Peratola stopped and so did the Titans and the ogres. They put the cage with Hebe in down on the floor and removed the iron bar with which they had carried her, throwing it unconcerned to the stone ground which it hit with a large clang that reverberated deafening trough the waste drift. Hebe breathed out, trying to savoir the few seconds of rest after the wobbly trip. As she released her fingers from the bars, she felt they were cramping and aching painfully.  
>"Thread it up!" the chthonian ordered. The next moment Hebe heard something else rasping against the ring at the top of the cage and she looked up. Another bar became threaded through the top ring and Hebe's prison was once again heaved up in the air.<p>

At this moment Peratola turned and for the first time since they had started off she turned her attention to Hebe:  
>"Now it's obvious that Zeus will not deliver us Enkelados. It's less than fifteen minutes left of the six hours and my informer at the shore of the river Dvina has not yet seen neither felt the presence of the Titans we want. Nor anyone or anything else." Peratola sighed. "No one would've been more pleased than I if Zeus had obliged. But obviously I misjudged the King of the Gods. He wasn't that interested in saving his wife's daughter. Perhaps he's actually glad to get rid of her and not having to be reminded of his wife's adultery. Oh, I know he's not the best example himself in that department but I guess that matters little to him. The old bastard has always thought himself being above normal rules and what applies to all the rest of us."<p>

"Spare me your speeches, bitch!" Hebe shot back in a husky tone, hardly looking up at the chthonian as she grabbed the bars again. "Do what you feel you have to do; I'm not afraid to die. I might even be able to restore myself. So just get over with it, will you!"  
>"Oh, we'll see how brave you are after having hung out there for a while, Olympian. When you've cried for mercy a while I'll drag you in and let Ohly and his friends have their way with you before I return you to our volcano. Your kind is after all usually much easier to handle after you have been fried a bit."<p>

Hebe didn't bother asking if Peratola had done similar things to other gods or if she just meant that she had tortured and killed humans in general. The goddess just continued to stare at her hands and now the cage became lifted up and connected to some kind of chain wire, she could hear the rustling in the dark behind her and curses from Ohly's Titan friend. Then Hebe's prison started to move slowly forwards and out through one of the openings, the chains rustling and clinking smoothly. They had done this before, Hebe knew, and once again she felt panic arrest her chest. She had to use every ounce of will power to not give in to that sensation and try to scream for them to stop, to let her go, to spare her. Because she knew it was not going to happen. Tears came to her eyes as the cage swayed out through the opening and she saw the lava filled pit below her. Oh mother...

0O0O0

A group of ogres was streaming out of the opening Athena had pointed out earlier. They weren't as many as the ones the Olympians had battled earlier and they were also unarmed most of them. Two were carrying swords on their backs and one carried an iron-studded club of the kind Herakles used to fancy once, however the rest of them looked more like tourists than soldiers. They were talking to each other in their own guttural language and looking upwards where a single stone came spinning down and disappeared down in the whirling and streaming lava flow. There seemed to be anticipation in the air, like they were waiting for something special to happen. Herakles gazed upwards but saw nothing save for the stone ceiling and some gaping holes up to the right. Nothing there. What was it those ogres were waiting for? And Athena...?

His sister was looking over at the ogres saying nothing and next to her Ares was radiating impatience, gripping his sword with whitened knuckles and it was obvious he wanted to sink it into another ogre belly. Or three. Now a Titan was coming through the opening. A tall, lithe being with a strut, confident walk carrying two curved blades in his right hand and a staff in the left one. He towered over the ogres with almost two heads.  
>"Shan't we engage?" Ares asked and nodded his head over at the badasses.<br>"No, wait, brother. They mustn't know we're here yet." Athena replied, holding up her hand. Ares sighed with edginess.

"Are we just going to stand...?"  
>"I said wait! I have a plan!"<br>"Why not letting us in on it then?" Herakles enquired. "Then it would be much easier for us to act."  
>"It is quite easy, brother. We will get those bastards. Each and every one of them. But not until I've located Hebe."<br>"And why can't you find her, Athena?" Ares asked. "Time is running out!"  
>"Because there are magic disturbances in the air." his sister replied. "Fortunately they work to our benefit as well, or else we would have been discovered by now."<p>

Nemesis had been quiet for some time, regarding the ogres with malice in her eyes. But now she turned to Athena:  
>"Is this place going to blow up?" she asked.<br>"Not yet. We will have time to get out of here before that happens. With Hebe. Now look!" Zeus' daughter pointed upwards and now they all saw it. Another cage was being wired out. And inside of it they saw a crouching figure. A familiar one.  
>"Hebe!" Nemesis whispered. "Poor little one!"<br>"Shit!" Athena swore and Herakles wondered what was wrong. Was this something Athena hadn't expected in spite of her earlier tries at sounding so sure of herself?

0O0O0

The heat from the lava was assaulting her and Hebe tried to move her feet as far from the hot fumes as possible by pulling herself towards the cage's ceiling and lifting her feet. In vain, she knew, she was going to be scorched one way or the other. It was just a matter of time. But then self-preservation made her fight against the inevitable. And when she couldn't shield she had to battle the heat the best she could by trying to get away from it, even though she knew it was futile.

Then a rock hit her cave and it shook wildly. Hebe gasped at the sudden movement, struggling to regain her composure. She felt as if she was beyond fear now. She had fought against it for so long but now the screams emitted from her lip. The fruitless calls for help and for mercy.

0O0O0

When Herakles heard Hebe's call out for help he felt something knot in his chest. A pain almost as if he had been the one captured and humiliated up there. And he heard Athena curse behind him:  
>"They have restrained her with a Kreladorban collar!" his sister went on after the obscenity. "How can they have gotten hold of these? They shouldn't really have been brought outside Hephaestos' workshop since..."<p>

The rest of what Athena was saying became drowned in another quake, more powerful than the rest of them. The ogres over at the opening were struggling for balance as more and larger stones fell from the roof and the walls, hurling down in the Caldera and sending up cascades with red, hot lava.  
>"I say we get them now!" Ares raged over the deafening thunder. "Before it's too late."<br>"We have to get Hebe down from there, or they'll harm her bad! Perhaps they can even kill her!" Athena returned.  
>"How do we do that?" Nemesis wanted to know. "We can't get up there without them noticing and then they'll kill her before we..."<br>"Don't you think I know that?" Athena's normally so calm voice was filled with distress now as she felt her plan slip out of her grip like mercury droplets. This plan - this so important mission. She couldn't fail. She couldn't fail her beloved Hebe!

Herakles grabbed the gadget he had kept in his pocket. Perhaps this was the way...

0O0O0

As a new shower of stones started to fall, assaulting her cage, throwing her around and battering and bruising her if possibly even more, Hebe struggled to remain sane. But it was so hard so hard, she was scared beyond reason and she felt domed now. Crying she kept calling out for her mother, not sure if anyone could hear her over the horrendous noise of the earthquake. Then Hebe became aware of another sound. The grinding sound of bending metal, the beam carrying her cave was obviously on the border of collapsing under the strain caused by the seismic eruptions.

0O0O0

"Curse!" Peratola spat. "Too much volcanic activity. We're risking..." Then she turned to Ohly and the remaining two ogres ordering them to haul Hebe in.  
>"I thought you were going to kill her," the Titan protested. "To fry her. What way would be better than..."<br>"Not so fast, Ohly! I want her to suffer! I want her to suffer and to know that her fellow gods abandoned her here. I want her cries to be cut into the tapestries of space-time so that the Olympians will know what they have done. And everyone else too. It's not every day a daughter of Hera dies and I want that to be recorded for all eternity. Now haul her in!"

0O0O0

"They're pulling her back!" Nemesis called out and pointed upwards.  
>"No, the shitheads!" Athena raged. "This is a wile trick. Now we can't... Herakles, what are you...?"<br>"Trust me!" Herakles said and then he began to run towards the cave opening through which the group of ogres has emerged earlier. The same ogres who were now fleeing back inside to get away from the stone rain, two of them already smashed to pulp. A bit more than halfway there Herakles suddenly stopped and turned visible again.  
>"Hey Titans!" his voice called out, rumbling almost like the thunders of his illustrious father as it became augmented in the large hall. "Titans!"<p>

Heracles searched with telepathy before continuing:  
>"Peratola!"<p>

When there was no immediate reply he fingered the item in his pocket before calling once more:  
>"Peratola! I know you're there! I know you can hear me! Talk to me, I have come to offer you a deal!"<p>

0O0O0

When Peratola heard the stranger's voice from down in the cave calling out her name she flinched with surprise but got herself together fast. Now this was an uncalculated factor. An intruder - here? Wasn't this place supposed to be safe? Then she couldn't contain her curiosity and she peaked out, although knowing it was probably dangerous. And down there on the crest floor stood a single god, a tall and wiry man in black leather and a black woolen cap covering blond curls. Could it be...? No, Peratola realized in the next instance, she shouldn't have let herself be so mistaken; it wasn't Zeus himself who stood there. Nonetheless it was another god, looking very much alike the Olympian principal. Probably one of his sons although she wasn't sure who. The chthonian didn't recognize the man's aura. She had long ago learned what all the Olympians looked like, so she became certain this was some hidden asset of Zeus. But what was the agenda here?

She didn't dare to actually lean out, in case the man should be armed with something to threw at her, a magic blast, a knife or one of those umpteen stones down there. After all he looked very capable of hurting her and hurting her bad as well. Instead Peratola positioned herself so that she came to stand just a hand's-breadth out in the niche.  
>"What do you want?" she called out at the man down there.<br>"A deal," the god repeated.  
>"What kind of deal?"<br>"Let Hebe go?"  
>"And why should I? You haven't got Enkelados, right?"<br>"Forget about that bastard, he'd killed you right away anyhow."  
>"Then I'm content with letting Hebe die here."<br>"Why?" the man down there asked. "What has she ever done to you?"

Peratola laughed out loud at that statement.  
>"Such a human thing to ask. Your compassion will be your kind's downfall one day! She's Olympian, that's enough for me, stranger. And I'll have her fry and gladly watch while she is eaten by the ever burning volcanic fire. And there's nothing..."<br>"You want an Olympian, you say?"  
>"Yes!" Peratola replied, a bit confused by the man's interruption.<br>"Well how about something better than Hebe? Who's just a bastard daughter of Hera. How about one of Zeus' own sons?"  
>"You've got one?" Peratola couldn't help asking.<p>

"As true as I'm standing here. It's obvious you do not know me, ma'am. But I'm Herakles, son of Zeus."  
>"You're..." Peratola recalled him in an instance. The beast killer and the demigod hero. He had murdered a lot of her own kind as well. So the bastard had become deificated! Then again, nothing should surprise her when it came to those damn Olympians, she thought. She pushed away the red rage at having been surprised here, within her lair by this scum and instead she tried to think a bit smart, to plan ahead and figure out what to do with this unexpected turn of events.<br>"Yes I am," the god down there replied. "And I'm offer you myself in return for Hebe's life. Let her go, Titanesse, and you might fry me instead."

"And how can I trust..." Peratola bit her lip, the offer sounded way too god to be true. She didn't dare to believe. On the other hand she had heard that this Herakles was a madman, plagued by bad conscience, after having by mistake set his home on fire and killed his first wife Megara and their children together. It was also known that Hera hated his guts. Could this be his way to make amend and try to gain absolution from the goddess? Mortals and their catharsis, she should have studied the subject more thoroughly, then she might have understood this Herakles' reasoning a bit better, comprehending what it was he really wanted. Yet now was not the time. She had to make up her mind. She had Hebe. But she really wanted... Perhaps she could take them both. Yes, that was what she was going to do. Such a nice little retribution that would be for their betrayal.  
>"Deal!" Peratola called out and then she turned to the ogres down by the opening: "Take him!"<p>

0O0O0

Hebe, who had been listening to their conversation from her cage, could feel new tears starting to flood her eyes. Although this time it wasn't for herself but for Herakles.  
>"No!" she called out. "No, Herc! Please! Don't do this! You can't... yourself..."<p>

0O0O0

Unbeknownst to both Olympians and Titans another watcher was hiding on a plateau a bit higher up, peering out from behind a boulder. Hardly visible in the dark, hardly notable because the watcher had kept aura and thoughts cloaked. And what better was, no one even thought of looking for a lurker up among the rocks. Down there they were so busy with their own activities. The watcher was not the slightest surprised at seeing Herakles here. That one had encountered the young god earlier, and knew he was reckless and daring. And turning divine had apparently not changed a thing. The watcher clutched the stone with one large hand. In another time and place the watcher could have killed Herakles with such a stone, now it was too late. It took more than a stone to kill a deificated son of Zeus. A lot more. And the watcher swore over missed chances. Nevertheless this development might actually be interesting... Especially if the watcher was right about that chthonian bitch down there. And – of course – about that looser Herakles. Seeing that one perish would be a sight for sore eyes.

0O0O0

Peratola turned to Ohly who was relieving himself against the cave wall:  
>"Take the extra pair of Kreladorban shackles and get down there and tie the other dumbass up! We're getting to barbeque two Olympians here tonight."<br>"You're not letting her go?" Ohly smirked, showing his irregular yellow teeth.  
>"You bet your fat ass," the Chthonian replied and the Titan started off with a rumbling laughter of pure evil.<p>

Smirking, she watched Ohly lurch away, the big brute was an idiot, but he sure was without any scruples, strong, mean and sturdy. If she just kept him well fed and in a good mode she would always be able to count on him and his underling's services.

0O0O0

Athena, Ares and Nemesis could only watch in horror as a new Titan appeared. A taller and broader beast than the one who had run away earlier together with the ogres. A taller Titan - and at the same time more human looking. A Titan who was carrying a pair of wile-looking shackles which magically enhanced alloy gleamed greenish in the firelight. He was followed by three of the ogres and they had soon surrounded Herakles. Two of them grabbed the son of Zeus from each side, the big god making no resistance whatsoever, as they turned him around so he came to face their superior. The large Titan with the shackles stepped in and soon he had bound Herakles by his arms, neck and tights, using the magic shackles. It was the very same kind of restraints Hebe was bound with and which made it almost impossible to move either arms and legs.

Meanwhile the cage with Hebe inside had swung aside, away from the fire and in over the crest and then it slowly began to lower, someone working the winch system from inside. The Olympians saw how Herakles stumbled, obviously stunned by the loss of power caused by the magic chains and Ares cursed, he recognized those restraints now. He had once volunteered as guinea pig when his brother Hepheastos had developed those things and he would never put himself through such an ordeal again.  
>"They're setting Herakles up," Ares said and his whole essence was shaking with rage. "I say we get them now!"<br>"Wait!" Athena insisted, her voice steely. And when Nemesis voiced a protest as well, Athena went on: "Just a few seconds more and then it's our turn!"

The next moment Hebe's cage clattered to the floor and shook, the despairing goddess protesting weakly, her strength and courage almost gone, terrified eyes shining hollowly from a whitish face. With a smirk Ohly hauled a key out of one of his large pockets, stuck it into the lock of the cage and opened the door just a little while growling at Hebe:  
>"No tricks now, little one!"<p>

At the same time the two other Titan-ogres gripped at Herakles and forced him forward, towards the cage and Hebe with the clear intent to press him inside as well. As Hebe met the intense green eyes of her step brother she whispered:  
>"Why, Herakles?" In response he grabbed her ankles in a steely grip.<br>"Take my ankles as well, dear," he replied. "And whatever happens now, do not let go of them!" Then he turned and called out at the trio of Olympians who were still standing hesitant behind their invisibility shields. "Get out of here now! Go home! Kill some ogres if you like to, but do go home as soon as possible!"

The next second a large snap was heard as air rushed in to fill the empty space when Herakles and Hebe disappeared in an instance.


	16. Herakles' escape

**Herakles' escape**

"Where did they go?" The watcher was taken aback by the sudden disappearance of the two Olympians down there. Rubbing the eyes in amazement at where they could have gone so suddenly, and then smirking at the confusion it created among the Titans and the ogres, and how the big dumb jerk called Ohly stumbled into the cage and tipped it over with a large clang and then how the cage started to roll around with the idiot Titan inside kicking and screaming obscenities until one of his fellows managed to help him out. A least they were entertaining those daft creatures!

0O0O0

"Where'd they go?" Ares stared over at the place where Herakles and Hebe had been less than a moment ago.  
>"I'm not really sure where they went but I somehow know they are travelling into safety." Athena replied. "At least any place but this is safer for Hebe. C'mon let's get those Titans and ogres over there and then we're getting out of here!"<br>"I'd thought you'd never said that!" Ares replied with a leer. The next second he released his shielding and returned to visibility and with a horrifying war cry he attacked the surprised ogres. Athena and Nemesis weren't far behind him, but Nemesis didn't bother with the ogres, she had caught the trail of a far more important prey somewhere yonder inside the cave system and now she dashed through the opening and sprinted up a flight of stairs, following her instinct and desire to just what has been done wrong.

Athena watched Nemesis disappear in the corner of her eye, at the same time as she engaged the large brute which had arrived with the manacles earlier. The beast was growling something about him being Ohly and that he was going to chop her into pieces and barbeque her remnants over the glowing volcano miasma. What was it with this kind of creatures, that they always felt that they had to talk a lot of bullshit; Athena thought and ducked swiftly under the Titan's swinging axe. The next moment the daughter of Zeus pushed her own blade into Ohly's belly and twisted it around until his innards started to fall out of the floor. Then she put her foot to him and pushed him backwards to be able to remove her sword, together with a large portion of his intestines and finally she gave him a forceful kick towards the edge of the plateau. The next instance the beefy Titan became the one to tumble into the caldera and with a large bellowing he disappeared beneath the surface of the boiling magma.  
>"Bye bye Ohly", Athena snickered as she assaulted the next beast. That one didn't introduce itself though, it just growled and the growl became turned into a gurgle as Athena slid its troth with the wickedly curved dagger she held in her left hand.<p>

Behind her Ares kept on taking out his fair share of badasses, and it felt good to have him there. No matter that Ares could be a bully and a prick quite often, when push came to show he always stood his ground. He didn't make silly mistakes like Apollo or chickened out like Hermes, he stayed and he fought until the bitter end. And he did it with bravado and excellence. If Athena could pick, next to her father Ares was the one she wanted by her side when the going got tough.

0O0O0

While reality started to shift rapidly around him, Herakles held on to Hebe with everything he had and then some, grabbing her with his other hand as well, straining against the wicked manacles. He was not going to drop her here in the middle of nowhere, because who knows what might happen then, where the poor girl might end up and if they would ever find her again. If he dropped her now she might be even more lost to them than before and he couldn't risk that. So he held on and held on and held on. It surprised him that the shackles which Hebe and he were bound with travelled with them as they spun trough those colourful fractals that was time-space.

Then, for some strange reason, something else hit him as he looked into Hebe's large, scared eyes. Herakles remembered where he had heard the name Chernobog before. The being Peratola had wanted dead. He remembered it all too well… and he bit back a curse. The next moment lights assaulted them as they reached their exit-point and entered the normal dimensions again. Herakles closed his eyes and hoped with all of his heart that Hephaestos' gadget had worked.

0O0O0

Peratola had just seen the stranger who called himself Herakles being pushed towards Hebe's cage, grabbing at the goddess and then they both had disappeared out of thin air. Both of them with the valuable Kreladorban shackles which Peratola had been having so hard to obtain. Where had they gone? She understood now that she had been set up, this Herakles had fooled her! When the realization dawned upon her, she leaned back her head and screeched and then she cursed out loud, now she would never get her revenge!

The next thing Peratola became aware of where cries and yells below, and as she ran over to one of the openings and, looked down she saw that the ogres on the platform had engaged two warriors. Now, these were Olympians, there was no mistaking that. The big man was Ares and with him was his sister Athena. These two were by far the most savage and blood thirsty of all the Olympians! But how could they have gotten in here without any of her people noticing it? The Chthonian became certain that their sudden appearance had everything to do with the disappearance of Hebe. The asshole Herakles who had pulled Hebe out of the cage and disappeared with her must have been together with Ares and Athena when they came here, already instigating their wicked plan, Peratola guessed. Cursing once more she regretted that she didn't take at least a sword with her. Now there was only one thing to do - getting out of here before it became too late. She turned and started running down the corridor. Not a second too late, because at the same time she heard running steps in the stairs behind her.

A glance over her shoulder revealed that there was another Olympian coming up here. Yet she was none of the more powerful ones. It was just that daughter of Nyx - Nemesis, who used to chase down human mortals who tried to sneak away from justice. Now, Peratola was no human mortal and she was far from willing to surrender to Nemesis or to anyone else. While her pride cried out to her to turn around and fight, Peratola felt that it was not a risk she was ready to take. Even if she didn't think Nemesis could match her - a full blooded chthonian, Peratola knew that she was the last one to avenge her fallen blood line. She was not going to throw that duty away for her proud desire to strike down some minor Olympian. That was a luxury she could not afford at the moment. She had failed and she'd better get away and start all over again, with some other plan to get to Chernobog.

So she turned around and started running down those well known, long and winding corridors, turning right and then left an then right again, hoping to shake her foe. Instead she soon felt that the Olympian was gaining upon her. Cursing once more, Peratola understood that she might have to engage the goddess in spite. She turned around, knife in hand and launched forward.

Nemesis was taken by surprise by the sudden attack and staggered backwards, but she lashed out by instinct and hit Peratola's knife hand. The Chthonian felt pain shooting up in her nerve and she dropped the dagger involuntarily. It rattled to the ground and Nemesis was quick to kick it out of the way. Then the two women were wrestling wildly and crashed to the floor and rolled around several times on the hard stone. But Nemesis was stronger and better trained and she he had soon placed herself on top of the chthonian and with her hands across the neck of the latter. And then she pressed until she felt the windpipe collapse and the Chthonian female was letting go of her hands. Feet stopped drumming against the floor behind her and the body went limp.

But the Chthonian wasn't dead yet, that was not Nemesis' plan. Instead she picked up the almost limp body from the ground and returned to the main corridor by the caldera, where she jumped out of one of those window holes. The next second she dived down into the lava filled abyss, while slapping the cheek of the almost unconscious Chthonian.  
>"Wake up bitch!" she spat. "Wake up and behold what fate awaits you!"<br>"Noooooo!"  
>"You planned to do the same to little Hebe. And she was far from the first. We saw your cages, asshole."<br>"Noooooo! Please! I have fortunes hidden in here. I'll give you whatever you ask! Please just let me go!"  
>"This is another song than the one you sang to Hebe, right?"<br>"Please..."  
>"We won't need your help to find any treasures, we'll locate them in spite should we desire so!"<p>

With those words Nemesis dipped Peratola almost halfway down in the hot lava. The chthonian yelled out a high-pitched inhuman scream and Nemesis hauled her up with a grin and then she dipped her again, holding her down a bit longer this time. More screaming from Peratola as her feet, legs and lover torso became barbequed. Once again Nemesis lifted and dipped her adversary, skillfully avoiding those waving and clawed hands. The next second Nemesis felt a familiar presence behind her. Athena's voice:  
>"Come, Nemi! We've got to get out of here. The place will blow apart any minute and if we don't want to get stuck in rubble and have to spend the rest of the afternoon blasting us selves out, we better leave when time is."<p>

Nemesis regarded the chthonian seared skin before she dipped her down for the last time, making sure she was killing the bitch this time. She really had wanted to do this a bit slower, but that was not to be. Shrugging she let go of the now dead body, letting the volcano Peratola worshipped have her as a last sacrifice. It was a strange sense of equilibrium to that and Nemesis felt quite pleased with it.  
>"You're right, Athena, there's nothing more for us to see or to do here," she said while she healed a gash she had got on her left arm. "Where's Ares?"<br>"Over there," Athena pointed at her brother who was picking up several blades of various kinds. "Gathering trophies."

0O0O0

The watcher cursed while leaving the position behind the stones. Enkelados was not going to be let out of the Tartarus. Not this time at least. Well, that was not entirely unexpected, when the Olympians had locked up someone down there, that being was hardly getting a second chance. A lot could be said about Zeus, but the god was not stupid. He was not letting back his once defeated foes on the Earth plane again, knowing what he might risk with that. Anyhow, the watcher now knew that it was time to stop watching and instead start engaging in the action.

Nevertheless, it wouldn't do rushing into a course of achievements. No, a lot of planning would be needed before anything real could be acquired, especially against the Olympians. They were clever, strong and brave, and it took more to defeat them than an army of Ohly's. The Chthonian bitch hadn't understood that, she had underestimated her enemy. Stupid. That was something the watcher had no intention to do. No, the plan would have to be to wait until the time was right, when the Olympians had their guard down. And then it was time to strike.

But first of all the watcher had to get out of here before the place blow sky high.

0O0O0

Hebe obeyed Herakles and didn't let go of his ankles when she felt how reality shifted around her and how pressure popped her ears. The next second she became aware of a strong light blinding her and then she was tumbling down a wide staircase, rolling around the stairs and feeling even more pain as she bumped in the hard marble step by step, trying to protect her head with her right arm. But she was still not letting go of Herakles. She was still clutching him with her left hand, as she felt pain assault her already battered body.

Then it all became very still and she almost went limp as she fell towards the floor beneath, too tired to even cry anymore. The large body of Herakles landed on top of her and almost pushed the breath out of her burning lungs and she felt a stud on his leather jacket tear up her cheek. It was then she became aware of a familiar presence. She was hearing a well-known voice calling out:  
>"Herakles! What the... and Hebe! What is she doing...?"<br>"Get Hephaestos! And Hera! Now!" Herakles ordered. "And Asklepios," he added.

That voice! Hestia! She's..? Now wherever she was, Hestia was here too, in the middle of all that bright light. It felt like... that voice... among the most wonderful thing Hebe had heard in a long time!

The next second strong hands were lifting Heracles off her chest and then helping her to rise as well.  
>"You're home now Hebe," Hestia was saying. "You're home. At Olympos."<br>"What?" She could almost not believe it. Shocked and confused she turned and clung like desperate to Herakles' large chest, crying relentlessly while he held on to her shaking form, doing his best to comfort her.  
>"You're home now Hebe." He was whispering in her hair. "Everything is all right, you're home dearest one!"<p>

Over her sobbing she heard running feet behind her and a million of familiar voices. Her mother and Hephaestos. Zeus. Apollo, Hermes and Palaistra. Pan and Orianthe. Her mother was calling out her name, and reaching for her, and then Hebe was in Hera's arms instead. And she could hear Zeus thundering from behind:  
>"What happened, Herc? Where are the others?"<br>"They're on their way," he confirmed. "They just had to kick some ogre asses. But Hebe is badly injured and it's essential we get Hephaestos' help quick. To get off these collars which we cannot seem to remove ourselves. Where's Asklepios?"

0O0O0

About half an hour later they were all gathered in one of the large, airy Olympian living rooms. Hera was sitting with her arms around Hebe while Apollo was examining her, helping her heal. His son Asklepios was away in India aiding those gods with a plague over there but Apollo was almost as skilled as his son. Hephaestos was holding the Kreladorban collars, which he had delivered Herakles and Hebe from, explaining to the rest what it was:  
>"A kind of invention I made about 300 years ago. A magic collar that can hold almost the most powerful being against his or her will. I tested it on Ares; it restrained even him, although not Poseidon. I was ordered to destroy it by you, father, you might remember. I did so but before that some of my blueprints disappeared. I thought little of that back then, thought I had only mislaid them somewhere, but now I see the pattern. At the same time there were some cyclopes of Titan origin leaving their employment and they must have taken those blueprints with them and learned to manufacture new collars. I'm sorry." The last words were directed towards Hebe more than anyone else.<p>

"What else was on those blueprints?" Zeus asked, looking worried. He was probably considering the risk that other powerful weapons might have ended up in the wrong hands.  
>"Nothing of significance actually," his genius son replied. "Some musical instruments and a thingie I call a door bell. But I doubt the ogres are fascinated with pipes and lyres."<br>"No, they're barbarians after all," Apollo commented.

Now Zeus turned to Herakles:  
>"How did you get here so fast then? When the rest seems to be out there still?"<br>"Another of Heph's inventions," the younger son of Zeus replied, reached inside his pocket and showed them a ring of a seemingly unimpressive cupper-iron alloy. "A Warpinator. It can help you travel anywhere, you only have to wish. I grabbed Hebe and wished for us to go home. And home we went. Only that I misjudged the entry point a bit and miss stepped on the grand staircase so we fell down it."  
>"You knew it was going to work with two persons?" Hephaestos asked. "You never told me."<br>"No, Dicaeosyne and I did some testing, we jumped around the Olympos and the mortal realm first and then trough dimensions down to Elysium and further on. Then other things got in the way and I simply forgot to tell you about it, Heph. Anyhow I brought it with me when I got on the quest for Hebe; my gut feeling told me it would be useful."

The next second the living room doors slammed open and Athena, Ares and Nemesis stumbled over the threshold, looking all dirty, bloody and gory. Ares was still grasping his sword and had a savage look in his eyes, Athena appeared tired and Nemesis strangely content, much like a cat who had caught a large mouse. Behind them trailed Kratos and the Erinyes, the four of them looked a bit like they had been late for the party, pouting because they had missed the action. Their only fun had been taking out the group Peratola had sent to the White Sea and the presumed release point of Enkelados and his sons.  
>"Oh, there you are!" Zeus called out at the newly arrivals. "Now what..."<br>"They took the place apart of course!" Hephaestos cut his father off while Athena rushed up to Hebe and almost tore the young woman from Apollo, cuddling her into her arms.

"Oh darling!" Athena nearly sobbed. "Hebe, li'l Hebe! How are you? I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry we didn't make it earlier. How did Herc...?"  
>"He got me home," Hebe replied in a silent, almost whispering voice. "And I'm fine. Sorta. Under the circumstances so to say. I guess - Apollo fixed me up quite a bit." Hebe returned Athena's affection, holding on to the other goddess and leaning her head against Athena's firm chest, her strawberry blond curls mixing with Athena's flowing blond locks, her cheek getting stained by the still wet ogre blood on Athena's tattered leather jacket. "I'm so glad you guys came. Just that very gesture, just knowing you came for me, that you cared - that fixed me up quite a bit, Ena."<br>"Why, of course we came! You're beloved and important, honey-pie. And the sweetest little blossom. Of course we'd come for you! Don't you ever doubt such a thing!" Athena's voice almost broke at the last sentence, as if the goddess of wisdom was about to cry.

"Now that's all very heartwarming and fine, Athena," Zeus was not letting the issue go. "But I need to know what happened out there. What where those beings? And how can we prevent more of them from coming for us? Or some helpless mortals?"  
>"They were Titans," Ares replied. "Ogres. And a Chthonian. She was the brain in it all, the Titans and the ogres couldn't have come up with a tenth of a plan like that. They're half-brains in any case. The bitch must have planned this for ages, or she and her handymen wouldn't have been able to first get Hebe and then to hold her. She's after all a goddess, a sister of mine, not an easy catch. But they tricked her, using that 'child' at the Academeia, appealing to Hebe's caring instincts. Then they got hold of some stuff which appears to have been stolen from Hephaestos. But they're all gone now. Athena did something to the volcano so it exploded and destroyed everything and everyone inside. Now, isn't there anything to eat around here?"<p>

"What volcano?" Zeus wondered while Hera ordered some nymphs to go after food and beverages for the new arrivals. Meanwhile Athena began to explain how she had felt seismic activity upon tracing the origin of Vico the messenger, who had come with the blackmailing enquiry to let out Enkelados. As a consequence Athena had turned to Hephaestos and received some tools to trigger an eruption with. She had started the first phases already upon arrival at the site and then worked further on during their search for Hebe, before finally triggering the real destruction after the Olympians had left the place.

Now Poseidon let up his voice for the first time. With a curse he turned first to Athena then to Hephaestos:  
>"You guys blasted a volcano, started earthquakes? Does anyone of you have any idea how dangerous these things are? Tampering with seismic activity isn't…"<br>"Well, you do it all the time!" Apollo cut him off.  
>"How can you claim it was necessary…?" Poseidon went on unbothered.<br>"We had to blow the place apart," Ares said. "There might've been more beasts there who'd come for us otherwise. More beasts and other weapons. We weren't sure what more they could've got from Hephaestos."  
>"But…" the sea god begun anew however this time it was Zeus who cut him off.<br>"Poseidon, I suggest you go there yourself and make sure no remaining danger exists when that volcano has taken whatever with it down into oblivion."

"So it did work?" Hephaestos said. "I wasn't sure; I never got a chance to field-test it."  
>"It was quite a firework," Athena confirmed with the look of understatement upon her face and Poseidon snorted something untellable. He didn't bother saying more in spite; he probably suspected that he was not going to be allowed to finish this time either. Instead he turned around and stomped out of the hall, uttering profanities along the way, and almost slamming the door before restraining his infamous temper.<br>"Guy is seismic himself," Apollo said as he regarded the sea god's departure and Nemesis was stifling laughter.

"Nevertheless," Athena went on, unbothered by Poseidon's tantrum, "the real hero in this venture was Herakles. He acted when I thought my plan had failed. He kept his head cool and improvised. And he got Hebe home. Without him we couldn't have done it!"


	17. Ichor is thicker than water

**Ichor is thicker than water**

That night the Olympians held their celebratory dinner and they sang and danced and drank like they always tended to do at these moments. During that festive evening Herakles and the rest had to tell their story all over and over again. Herakles had the feeling that it would all be ad-libed and shaped up quite a bit over the years to come, the ogres becoming larger in number and more plentiful. The way those stories tended to transform. The way the tales about his labours had grown out of proportion just over those thirty something years which had passed since he finished the last of the twelve. Hebe on the other hand was reluctant to talk about her part in the adventure all; it was almost as if she was ashamed of it. Ashamed of being tricked and rendered helpless by those monsters. As if this was anything she could have foreseen. She had been fooled by what seemed to be a poor bullied kid, damn it even he, Herakles, had fell for the con.

The son of Zeus looked across the table at Hebe who sat between her mother and her friend Palaistra, looking tired and quite a bit tipsy from the wine, a cup with yet more beverage in hand. She was probably drinking to dull the lingering stress, a quite understandable action after all. He needed to talk to her, he figured. To tell her that she was not the slightest at fault here. She had done nothing wrong; she was as much a hero as the rest of them. She had coped, stayed calm and brave and not letting panic take hold of her. Save for those very last moments of course when she thought she was going to die the most terrible death. On the other hand she had collected herself fast upon Herakles' arrival, grabbed his ankles and held on for dear life while he had dragged her all the way through the dimensions and back to Olympos.

"You know," he turned to Nemesis sitting next to him. "No matter how immortal you are, when you think you're going to perish, you act upon instinct and your body starts to pump adrenaline. And eventually it gets too much and you panic."  
>"No one can blame Hebe from panicking." Nemesis said and put down her piece of bread. "She was in a strange environment, in pain and she had no idea that we were coming for her. I think we need to press this matter harder that no Olympian will ever be left alone out there. That we will always be there for the one in trouble. One for all, all for one."<br>"You're right, Nemi," Herakles nodded. "When we go out there we'll have to stick together against ogres, chthonians, Titans and whatever might come for us. Let's drink to that!"  
>"But they weren't really Titans, were they?" Eos asked from across the table as she too rose her glass.<p>

"Only four of them were," Heracles said. "Then there was that chthonian bitch who was the mastermind behind the set up. The others were mixed blood ogres most of them and then some pure-blooded ogres."

"And pure-blooded idiots all of them as well," Nemesis added. "If we had really released Enkelados and his sons in their hands, they would've been the first victim of these mad Titans. That kind doesn't know the word 'gratitude'."

O0O0O0O

Now it was way past midnight and the up-tempo beat of one of Apollo's more danceable tunes was flouting out of the open terrace windows as Herakles came up to where Hebe sat alone on the balustrade, her back resting against a marble pillar, feet propped up on the railing and chin resting on her knees. She didn't look drunk anymore, more like she was contemplating the last two days' events while regarding the starry night.  
>"Hebe?" Herakles enquired. He was not sure how to begin. First the goddess made no move to acknowledge him, but then she turned her head ever so slightly, questioning eyes glimmering in the lamplight.<p>

"Herc?"  
>"Yes, I..."<br>"You're shy suddenly? After being so brave earlier in the day?" Her voice was soft and enquiring.  
>"That was another kind of - courage."<br>"Really?" She fell silent for a moment and all heard was the music from the inside and the thrill of a calling night bird. Then Hebe looked up at his large form silhouetted against the light from the window. "Come on over here, son of Zeus! Sit down! We need to talk you and I."

That had been his cue, and it made him feel a bit taken aback, but he did as Hebe asked, crossed the terrace in a few steps and sat down next to the goddess he had saved the life of just a few hours back. Waiting for what she was going to say.  
>"You know," Hebe started. "I've never been impressed with all those heroes. Those who go off and fight like my brother Ares and come home and tell everybody about how many they have killed and the impressive size of the cities they have sacked, the height of those city walls, how much land they have laid waste and how much of value they have loathed from across the sea. That has never impressed me; it has just appeared cruel and pointless. Barbarian. I've always held more admiration for people like Hephaestos, who use their brains and skills to create things that can benefit people instead."<p>

Herakles nodded silently and Hebe went on:  
>"But today all that changed. I got a kind of perspective of things. I saw what you did. You and Athena, Ares and Nemi. You came for me when I thought everything was lost."<br>"Yes, but wasn't that exactly what Athena said?" he replied. "And Nemesis and Zeus as well? That an Olympian will never abandoned another. That's the very cornerstone of our pantheon. We stick together. We might fight like crazed cats among each other but against an external threat we'll stand united. That's the key to our strength. Trust me! We would never had left you out there, Hebe. Ichor is thicker than water."

"But it's more than that, Herakles. More than me. For the first time tonight I understood. I came to comprehend what all those wars and war heroes really are about. It's not about killing and loathing - even if Ares seems to take quite a delight in that too. It's about protecting as well. It's about protecting and caring for the beloved ones; wherever you do that at home, meet the enemies at the gates or just outside the estate. It's about preventing as much and as many as possible from being harmed. By going to war you prevent the enemies from coming here. You scare them off with your blades and your javelins, your war strategies and your courage and strength. And thus you defend your land and your beloved. That's what it is about. l know now. And even if it might seem obvious to guys like you I'm surprised I haven't seen it until today."

"You sound almost like Athena now." Herakles couldn't help pointing out.  
>"Yes, I should have seen it the way she does." Hebe said. "I mean, even Hephaestos goes to war. Not physically of course, he stays in his factory. But he makes all those weapon and clever little gadgets we use in our wars. Including that thingie you used to get me out from... eh, there."<br>"Yeah... The Warpinator." Herakles nodded. "You know the world is multi-dimensional in its truest sense. Nothing is ever black and white."  
>"I know. Even Peratola - the Chthonian who held me - she had a reason. Although she used wicked means. She wanted to avenge her fallen family. Killed sisters and a mother. She wanted to take revenge on a being named Chernobog."<p>

Herakles sighed.  
>"Why didn't she check things out first? She would never have gotten that revenge."<br>"Why?"  
>"Because Chernobog is dead."<br>"He is?"  
>"Yes, I should know. It was I who killed him. More than twenty years ago, up in the land of Pommeria. The monster was holding several mortal villages in terror, since he kidnapped small, mortal children and fed upon them. When I came there everyone was living in fear and despair. A lot of grown-up men had gone off to get him, only to become killed as well. So naturally I offered to help those villagers. It became a rather straightforward mission in fact, I rigged a trap with an infant who had passed away as a still born and then it didn't take long until the beast arrived. He never even got near the little body; I sliced him in half after almost no battle at all."<p>

"He was that easy to kill?"  
>"Yes, since I had the element of surprise at my hand I could ambush him. And then he wasn't that impressive as a fighter. He had trusted his terrible looks and his shark-like fangs. He worked with fear more than strength and skill. Fear and some rudimentary knowledge of chaos magic. But against an adversary who didn't crap his pants and who knew how to deflect magic Chernobog had very little to fight with."<p>

At those words Hebe couldn't help laughing, almost scornfully.  
>"Such an irony," she said. "And I guess even if I had known that Chernobog was dead and had told Peratola that, she wouldn't have believed me."<br>"No, these beings never do. They're so full of deceive that they think everyone is lying to them as well."  
>"Herc, if Chernobog was such an easy kill for you, how come he could've done in a couple of Chthonians? Whatever you'd say about Peratola, she was not resource less. Nor when it came to brains or strength."<br>"Beats me," Herakles sighed. "Perhaps the being had been younger then, younger and stronger." Then he tilted his head, looked Hebe into her dark eyes. The music inside had changed, becoming slower and at the same time more soulful and with a different timbre. Now it was just Apollo's voice and a lyre. That mellow baritone carried out in the night as if it was trying to reach to the end of the world and touch the stars.

In that instance it felt to Herakles as if he was seeing Hebe for the very first time. It was as if something - a veil of a kind - had fallen aside. Being whiskered away by the mild night wind. Now he saw her beauty, her soft and peach coloured cheeks, her full, red lips and petite nose. And most of all those large, round chestnut eyes that seemed to gaze right into his heart. And he wanted to reach out and touch the texture of her skin, to find out for himself if it was as silky as it appeared in the dim light.

Hebe felt it too, how the world skewed and her perspective changed. She sat up more erect and at the same time closer to Herakles. She didn't say anything when she laid her palm against his shoulder, felt the warmth of his skin trough the thin textile of the tunic, sensed his flagrances within her nostrils. If she concentrated she could hear his heart beat and saw that little tick upon his neck which pounded with the corresponding rate. His response was imminent; his breathing changed as he leaned closer to her, slid a large hand around her slender waist and pulled her even tighter, leaning over her with a desire to reach her beckoning lips with his. She knew he was going to kiss her at that moment and she welcomed it. She really really did! She could hardly believe her own response.

But that kiss never came. Instead there were noisy calls from the doors as Hermes, Ares and Boreas tumbled out the opening, all of them more or less recklessly drunk and hanging on to each other with arms around necks, steadying their wine-softened legs.  
>"...And then..." Ares was going "I take his head off, piercing it on my sword and use it as a club to smash into the next ogre who..."<p>

Hermes, who wasn't listening, was saying at the same time:  
>"You don't think Dion's gonna mind when we finish his old barrel of Corinthian when he's gone? After all he has his Ariadne with them big tits and..."<br>"...blood and bone fragments splattering all over..." Ares went on unbothered. Meanwhile the platinum blond god of the Northern Wind wasn't paying attention to any of the brothers, he was prattling about some nymph he had met, and who had agreed to do all kinds of things together with him. All very detailed and descriptive. That was Boreas in a nutshell, he loved to brag about his sexual escapades and thought everyone else were oh so impressed.

Naturally Hebe and Herakles slid apart, but none of the arriving gods seemed to have noticed what had been about to happen. Instead the trio more or less slip slid over the terrace and almost collapsed against the railing, Hermes yelling at the nearest column to move its ass. Now Ares took notice of the two of them and went:

"Yo, Hekklesch, there you are! You know we were men in there. In that volcano. Real friggin' MEN! GODS! Killed all those ogres and titans and other suckers - but then I dunno where you guys went. You'n'Hebe you missed all the fun, Herc! Cutting up ogre bellies and... And then Athena blasted the place, that was just something to see! Fiiiire in the bloody mountain, you know, Hekklesch! Not even li'l bro' Hephchtos could've done it any better, 'coz..."  
>"Aw come on Ares, we've all heard that now. A millionbillion times all over and over again. You know I'm gonna go in there and drink some more wine and then I guess I'm gonna... gonna... whatshername..."<p>

Boreas stopped talking right there, naturally because he started to heave up over the railing instead. Then he collapsed against the same and fell asleep. Hermes gave him a pitying look:  
>"That man cannot drink. He's all out just af'er a few of 'em."<br>"Hermes, don't you think you had enough too?" Herakles turned to his brother, who was swaying slightly where he stood.  
>"Nahhh. You see I am gonna..." Hermes made a move to return indoors again but he miss stepped and stumbled and the next moment he too collapsed against the balustrade and slid down into a sitting position, laughing out loud, as if he was finding the situation extremely funny.<p>

"He's had enough, I told him so," Ares slurred and begun to haul his brother up. While Hermes talked about Ares and him returning inside and continuing drinking, Ares threw him over his brawny shoulder so the messenger god came to hang with his head down, something he found really surprising and almost humiliating.

"Hey Airhead," he went. "You think I ain't gonna be able to walk in there miself, pumme down war god! So I can go in there refilling my cup - oh I don't have it anymore must've left it with Aphrie when she'n'I... but no prob' bro' I can get myself anotha. Pumme down now, Ares will ya?"  
>"Forget it, little bro'" Ares replied. "You're zonked." Then he took aim for the door opening but missed it twice. Finally on his third try he made it, and turned around to bid Hebe and Herakles good night. In the process of doing so he managed to bump Hermes' head into the door frame so shards of marble flew and Hermes blurted out something untellable.<p>

As Ares took his leave with his younger brother slung over the shoulder, Herakles and Hebe begun to laugh like never before. The magic moment earlier was gone but somehow it didn't bother any of them. It just felt so fine to laugh together, so liberating. And Hebe leaned her head against Herakles' shoulder giggling:  
>"Yeah, ichor is thicker than water. Especially in the heads of those gods."<br>"I guess that was really the effects of another liquid." Herakles replied.

They left Boreas snoring by the balustrade, mumbling something in his sleep about nymphs, and together they walked down from terrace and away from the party, which was more or less breaking up anyhow at the time. Apollo had stopped playing and only faint laughter from one of the muses could be heard inside. And behind a tree in the garden they noted Aphrodite and Helios with hands and lips all over each other. With a wordless glance and a shrug at the duo Herakles walked Hebe home, none of them saying very much, since they were both lost in thoughts. Outside Hebe's neat little house, Herakles took a very chaste good bye, a kiss on the hand as if they were nothing more than passing strangers.  
>"If you have nightmares - or anything. Don't hesitate to mindcall me. I'll be there for you. I promise."<br>"I don't think... Well, good night Herakles. And thanks."  
>"Good night, Hebe."<p>

As he continued on his way home Herakles had to turn around once, but then Hebe had already gone inside and turned out the flame of divine light outside her portico.  
>"What's wrong with me?" he asked a statue of a rearing centaur where the path forked. "Am I falling in love with Hera's daughter? That would be just the silliest thing to do for this bastard son of Zeus."<p>

O0O0O0O

At the same time Hebe was standing in her hallway looking at the full body mirror hanging on the short end of the wall opposite of the cloakroom.  
>"I guess I need - to catch up with myself," she told the slender goddess in the mirror. "I am not - I must suffer from some kind of aftershock. Because I wasn't really going to kiss Herakles out at the terrace, was I? What was it Apollo called it - Post Dramatic Stress Disorder? Yeah that must be it. After all Herakles did save me. I ought to... to... I've already thanked him in public. Everyone was there. I guess that'll have to do. But then why am I..."<p>

Forcing those thoughts aside Hebe walked up the stairs, across the grand room upstairs and into her bedroom. There she collapsed on her bed without even removing her sandals, and was soon sound asleep. And fortunately there were no nightmares, just a deep, healing sleep for the daughter of Hera.

O0O0O0O

"What's wrong, Herc?" Ares inquired after having been able to out-fence him for the fifth time in less than an hour. "Your mind's elsewhere?"  
>"I guess it is," Herakles said and dried off his hands on his loin cloth. No matter that the air was chilly and a light rain was falling, wetting the sand of the arena, both of the brothers had managed to work up quite a bit of sweat during their training session, something which was not uncommon at all. Uncommon on the other hand was Herakles' lack of concentration. Most of the time he was almost as swift as his half-brother when it came to fencing, but today the God of War had more or less been wiping the ground with Alkmene's son.<p>

"Yesterday's events still bothers you?" Ares asked and lowered his blade while Herakles picked up the one he had dropped. Herakles sighed.  
>"No, not really, it was straightforward enough, in a warrior's perspective. A break and enter and getting a prisoner out. Been there done that countless of times before. No, there's something else bothering me."<br>"What?"  
>"It's – ah. I almost did something regrettable yesterday."<br>"A girl?"  
>"Well..."<br>"Herakles! You need to stop seeing yourself as a sad divorcée. Or whatever you might label it when your mortal wife believes you're dead. You need to go out there having some fun."

"You think so?" Herakles replied and regarded the droplets of rain falling on the business end of his sword.  
>"Indeed, brother. Actually I know a few girls who..."<p>

Ares was cut off there, because Herakles surprised him by charging, and he had to parry and block, almost taken by surprise.  
>"That's better," he grinned when he fended off his brother's attack and spun around to initiate his own.<p>

O0O0O0O

"I plan to start a second Academeia at Rhodos," Hebe told her mother as she was sitting on Hera's desk with an unusually solemn look upon her face. Hera had put down her work papers and was regarding her daughter with thoughtful brown eyes. Hebe still looked a bit pale and with dark shadows under her eyes, as if her sleep had not really been what it should have been in the few nights since her return.  
>"Sweetheart, are you sure you're going to throw yourself into work so soon after - what happened. You're sure you don't need a couple of weeks off?"<br>"No, working keeps my mind occupied. Or else I'll just walk around and feel sorry for myself and think over what I've been through. Over and over again I would do it. Besides I've been planning an expansion of the Academeia for almost a year now. And what would be a better time to start than at the end of the semester? That will give me the summer to plan and work on it. And then comes September I'll start preparing for the very first spring semester at that new school. Hiring personnel and putting together classes, buying necessary inventories and other items. I've already found a place which used to be..."

"Hebe, Hebe, that's all very fine and I'm sure it's going to turn out great. But now you behave almost like your brother Hephaestos."  
>"Should I take after Ares instead you think, Mother?" Hebe said half-smiling. "Take up the sword and go off kill some eastern punks. Or the Visigoths?"<br>"No dearest, but Hephaestos keeps hiding his feelings behind work, work and more work. If he keeps himself busy enough, he figures he won't have to deal with what's really hard. Like his marriage to Aphrodite for instance."

"What is it I have to deal with, you think, mother? Last time I looked I wasn't married."  
>"No honey," Hera couldn't help laughing. "But you're still a bit scared and stressed over what happened. Perhaps you should sit down a bit with Apollo or Pasithea."<br>"Mother, I don't need a soul healer. I'm fine. I feel great and I'm home!"  
>"Yes, stay home a bit. Walk the beach and get sand between your toes, pick some flowers and let your mind catch up before you rush ahead with your duties. I can tell you need that and it's not like the Rhodos section of the Academeia can't wait another year. Then Persephone will be back in just a few days and you and she can..."<p>

"Mother! I'm all right. In fact I'm fine. I don't need another lecture. But to honor your opinion I'll take a week off. A week - that's it. And then I'll do what I have to do. Persephone and I always make time for each other anyhow."

Hera sighed but she said nothing. After all it was half a victory to have her stubborn daughter taking a week off.


	18. The Hot Well

**The Hot Well**

The north-westernmost edge of the Olympic summit held a very special little cave. Special because inside of it there was a hot well, one of the few remaining remnants of the volcano the mount Olympos once had been, some ten thousand years ago. The well was a cradle formed as an almost perfect circle, shallow enough to sit in and about twelve feet wide. And the water inside was nicely hot and gurgling, fizzing and swirling as it evaporated from the innards of the mountains and slowly streamed over the cradle's edge and out into a stepping of smaller ponds, before it finally gushed down in a small waterfall to later connect with the larger fall on the western mountainside.

This hot well was very popular with the Olympians, and they had an elaborated system of sharing it, a list to keep track on everybody's turn. Usually every god or goddess got three hours at a time to spend in the well, hours to be used use the way everyone saw fit, and if someone wasn't able to use their hours, it was always possible to find somebody else to trade them with. Needless to say a god or a goddess might also barter his or her turn into other services or commodities from their fellow gods.

Lovers were known to share the well. Aphrodite used to sneak away there with Ares or some other god she had turned her favour to for the time being. And Zeus used to bring Hera there now and then for some kiss-and-make-up when he had slipped from his matrimonial duties. In fact most of the time the Royal Couple had access to the well they used it together. Some, like Dionysos, invited everyone who could squeeze themselves in for a big time party with almost as much wine as water available. Others in turn, like Artemis, preferred to bath alone.

This morning the well was really reserved for Apollo, but he had told Hebe to go there in his stead.  
>"I have some composing to do and you sure can need some special favours after all the ordeals you've been through."<p>

Hebe was about to say that she didn't need to be treated like some patient, that she was fine and la-di-da, but the Hot Well was after all the Hot Well, and she loved to bath there whenever she had the chance. Soaking in that warm water was so totally relaxing and comforting and she could definitely need some soothing now after those awful long hours as a captive of the Titans. Then she could always plan ahead with her Rhodos' branch of the Academeia while resting. It sounded wonderful, a temptation she just couldn't resist!  
>"Thank you Apollo," she smiled and rose on her toes to reach up and kiss her step brother on his cheek. When she turned to leave Apollo asked her:<br>"By the way, can I rhyme 'kiss' with 'bliss'? Or is it too cheesy."

Hebe wrinkled her brow and thought it over for some seconds.  
>"I guess it depends on the rest of the lyrics, Pol. It's not exactly cheesy but under the wrong circumstances it can sound a bit cliché. "<br>"I guess you have a point, dear. Thanks!"  
>"Welcome," Hebe beamed. After that she ran home to pick up towels, soap and herbs.<p>

0O0O0

Apollo scratched the back of his head as his step sister took off down the sunlit path, singing and making small dancing steps as she went. The lovely girl! She had made it home well and she seemed to recover fast from her destitution. Nevertheless those sightings he had done for his father at the time Hebe had been lost still troubled Apollo with their incomprehensibility. He wasn't anxious about Hebe anymore, she seemed to do fine, and there were no worrying possible futures lying ahead of her as far as Apollo could see. No, it was more a feeling of personal shortfall.

He hadn't seen the liberation of Hebe; he hadn't seen Herakles bringing her home to Olympos. There had just been these other oddities. These incomprehensible visions. Why had he failed? And what were those other things he had seen instead? Now the god of prophecy was almost certain that something extraordinary had started with this adventure up there in the far north, something which would soon take unexpected consequences. Not dangerous in anyway but – unexpected. And the god of prophecy had been unsuccessful to see what it was all about. Those sightings he had gotten, and not been able to interpret, they wouldn't leave his mind. He resented this shortcoming of his.

When he tried to do something about it, tried to concentrate harder and use better tools for his scrying, like more potent water and ichor/uranium plated sighting bowls the only thing he had seen was more of Hera's magic circles and large manors in disrepair. And Dionysos' late mother of all people! What had she got to with anything! After that he saw his father and Hera staring at each other and not knowing what to do with something they had just learned. Now, that was probably Zeus just having spawned another kid – but the rest of the sights? What were they all about? It was oh – so frustrating not being able to deduce what was going on! Apollo knew he ought to warn his father that something was afoot, but when he didn't know what, it felt almost an impossible task. What was he going to say really – _hey dad something strange will happen at Olympos. I don't know when and I don't know what. But it will and I have to tell you._

Apollo could almost hear Zeus's laughter ring in his ear: _Son, there are always strange things happening at Olympos. You don't have to use a sight pool to foresee that. Why don't you go write another love song instead?_

Apollo hoped it wasn't his skill failing him, he hoped it was just a temporary fluke, some external factor disturbing his scrying tries. Sunspots or something. He was very sensitive to the sun's behaviour after all, had always been and he had learned to live with that, even if it made life complicated sometimes. Sighing he returned to his music. There was very little else to do at the moment. Kiss and bliss - huh!

0O0O0

The blessed Apollo had let her use the Hot Well! Hebe didn't know how to begin to thank him! Humming lightly she undressed and left her tunic and pants in a small niche. Then she threw the herbs in the water before slipping down in the bowl-shaped well. Some centuries back Hephaestos had made a few steps leading down into the water, to make it easier to descend or ascend if you were too tired or too comfortable to levitate. There was also a small bench running around the near sides, carved out to sit upon. Hebe had a favourite spot, where the bench ended into a soft, cornered backrest which almost felt like it was made for her body and she was soon making herself comfortable there. Closing her eyes the goddess sunk down with her head resting against the rim, and then she bent back her head until the only thing that could be seen breaking the water's edge was the tip of her nose and two rounded cheeks - if you looked carefully.

But the god who entered the well a few moments later didn't see that, simply because he was not looking, and Hebe didn't hear him coming because she was so lost in thoughts and more or less asleep, lulled by the heat, the fragrances from the herbs and the swirling and slightly bubbling water.

Herakles knew it was Apollo's turn in the Hot Well and when he heard music stream out through the open window of Apollo's home when passing by, he knew that his half-brother was not using the Well.  
>"Guess it's up for grab then," Herakles mused to himself. "I don't think he has traded it off, he must simply have forgotten it or put number one priority on his music. Then it's first come first served, I figure. I'll take the chance that it's free."<p>

With cheerful steps Herakles went home and picked up what he might need for a bath and then he was off to the Hot Well. It was a rather chilly day for the season and thus almost all of the lower parts of the mountaintop were coated in clouds, creating a thick fog which gave the landscape a mystery fantasy feel. As Herakles walked downwards on the graveled path to the Well he noted that the usually so stunning view from up here was almost totally hidden. However that made the scenery beautiful in another aspect. Beautiful and strange. Rays of sunlight shone down here and there and glittered on lingering dew drops on grass, leaves, spider webs and branches and as he passed the tiny waterfall he saw an out-of-the-place rainbow. That was one of those odd phenomena that lingering divine magic often created in this place, where so much of these powers were in use and sometimes discarded of lightly and without a second thought.

Some cherry trees were almost done blossoming and littered the path with pink and white petals, and it felt odd to Herakles that he noticed such things. Must mean he was in an unusual state of relaxation, he figured. Then he turned the corner and stood in front of the cave. Yes it felt empty, he noticed some lingering energies, but he could not identify whom it belonged to and they seemed to him rather stale and thus he thought nothing more of it and walked inside.

The place was dead silent, only the bubbling and hissing of the warm water was heard and steam from the well was mixing with the outdoor mist which was seeping in trough the cave opening. That was why Herakles didn't notice the clothes and towels left in an outcropping in the wall. He only noted that the place smelled lovely of herbs and perfumes, but neither that was anything unusual. He lit a divine light and started to undress. As he moved the light orb out over the centre of the bowl he thought he heard something splash, but then it went silent again, and he guessed it must have been a smaller animal running away. There were no rats or mice at Olympos but he had seen quite a few rabbits around, especially in those outskirt parts which weren't as populated.

Herakles removed his pants and then he started to descend into the pool. At that moment it splashed again, and a familiar form rose from the water, almost like a Nereid, wet skin gleaning in the green of his divine light, red hair dripping wet and surprised brown orbs eying him.  
>"What? Hebe?"<br>"Herakles?"  
>"I'm sorry, I thought..."<br>It was empty? Well, Apollo let me have his turn."  
>"Okay, okay, I'm leaving," Herakles held up his hands and started to back out of the water.<br>"No, don't do it for my sake," Hebe giggled. He looked so funny with his surprised face there in the pale divine light. "It's large enough for the two of us, if you pardon the cliché, so come on in and share it with me!"  
>"You sure?"<br>"Are you slow or what? I wouldn't say so otherwise."

Herakles smiled at the gentle goddess who was beckoning him with her laughing eyes to return into the hot water again. Grinning even wider, he started all over, descended into the beckoning pool, swam out almost to the middle of the rounded area and then he sat down a bit away from her.  
>"I won't disturb but - well that cliché you talked about. It was the other way around."<br>"What?"  
>"'This town isn't large enough for the two of us.' Has been said by egomaniac war lords since the dawn of time. Usually it ends with one of them killing the other."<p>

Hebe humped and rolled her eyes.  
>"Glad we have a big bowl of water to share then. I think people in general - gods as well as mortals - should be better at sharing things. And not be so propertarian about things we don't exactly need all of and the whole time. It'll benefit everyone in the end. Make the world a better place."<br>"I agree wholeheartedly," Herakles said. He looked at Hebe again. She was wet all over, her red curls laid plastered over her head and shoulders and some dripping ringlets had found themselves covering parts of her face. Her cheeks were red with heat and her eyes a bit veiled, lips slightly parted. That made her look - oh so sensual and desirable and against his will Herakles felt the little rascal between his legs coming alive. He was glad the water hid the most obvious signs of his hard-on and hoped that Hebe didn't notice the inevitable changes in his aura that came with the arousal.

But her mind seemed to wander. She looked up at Herakles' ball of divine light and raised an arm out of the water and rested it on the rim of the bowl. She had the most elegant little hands, Herakles thought. Why hadn't he seen it before?  
>"You know," Hebe said, the green light reflecting in her dark eyes as her fudge-brown irises darted towards him again. "I'm teaching my children - my pupils that is, even if I really want to have children of my own one day - how important it is to share and to help. And you Herakles. With your past. You could be a good role model for them. I wonder if your offer still stands."<br>"What offer?" the son of Zeus said with his mind distracted by the rush of desire.  
>"To come and teach at my Academeia. At least part time. Or as a guest lecturer. The children would love it."<p>

"Yes... yes indeed..." Must not be tempted by Hera's daughter, Herakles thought to himself. Not in THAT way at least. The lecturing offer was another thing, it sounded wonderful. He bit himself hard on the inside of his cheeks to distract himself from the speeding up fervor.  
>"Oh that's great, thank you!" Suddenly Hebe flew forward and into his arms. Surprised Herakles found himself hugging her and he swallowed hard. At the same second Hebe let go, but only slightly. Now she giggled with embarrassment.<br>"I - do not normally... I guess I am... A few days back we..." She pushed a hand over her face, swept away some locks of soaking hair. Then Hebe stopped her motion, hand in air, and for a few seconds the world froze. Even the steaming and fizzing water in the well seemed to calm down a bit. The next second she had laid her hand upon his chest, feeling the warm texture of his wet skin beneath her sensitive palm. Herakles was slightly hairy, something you didn't normally notice, since he was so fair, and his muscled torso was hard and felt powerful, his breath slightly affected, she noted.

"Hebe...?"  
>"I..."<br>She was so close to him that he could see the tendrils of water and sweat worming themselves down her pale olive skin and the tiny light brown freckles upon her nose. He also noted that there were specks of gold in her dark eyes, as if someone had dropped coins down in those deep wells. Wishing wells... She smelled of warm body, lavender and thyme. It didn't really mix and for some reason it keyed him up even more.

Hebe, who felt his breathing deepen, was regarding him in her turn, took in those handsomely chiseled features, those emerald green eyes and high cheek bones. His lips were not as full as with most sons of Zeus and they had an angle to them that made Herakles look like he was smiling, even if he wasn't and his chin was prominent and angular. Hebe knew that his nose had been broken several times during his mortal life, however nothing of that could be seen these days. And those green eyes gleamed with - desire. Desire? For her?

In response to that notion she felt something stirring deep inside of her. She felt how her body, her soul responded to his nearness and his warmth, to his hands which somehow had found themselves upon the small of her back and was gently and almost imperceptible pulling her closer to himself. Within moments Hebe found the tips of her breasts touch his torso and she felt her nipples react, harden. She was so close to him now, both physically and emotionally that the last barrier broke easily. She faced him and let her lips brush first his chin then the corner of his mouth. He responded, opened his mouth and tasted her mellow softness, felt those lush, wet lips meeting his.

That kiss started hesitant, but then it deepened remarkably fast and hotness replaced the first moments of tentative insecurity. She felt her hands travel up his sturdy neck and wound them into his blond curls, as he was leaving her mouth to continue his path of kisses down her neck and then descending further on. The warmth of the water, the dancing steam and the dusky lime light contributed to the special feeling of almost dreamlike quality and soon both Herakles and Hebe lost themselves in the moments of passion. It had been a long time since Hebe had enjoyed sex and even longer since it had felt this fulfilling. If ever. She was not even sure she could recall any moment which had felt this close to perfection. And when she gave in to him, when she opened her secret paths for first his hands and then for other parts of him, she had a faint understanding way back in her mind that this was the Ultimate Experience you could only have with the one who was your Perfect Fit. And it frightened her for a fraction of a section that this should be Herakles.

Then that fright disappeared like mist when the sun came up and gave way for a bliss she never wanted to see the end of. She wanted this go on forever and ever and as she caught up with his rhythmic movements she felt as if she with every trust of this mighty god were travelling farther and farther away from reality. The cadence bringing her deeper in ecstasy, beat per beat. And she didn't ever want to return. She wanted to stay like this forever, forgetful of everything else out there outside their private little dimension of desire and ardor. And then…

And then…

And then she exploded in a sensation so strong it felt as if the universe tipped over and turned inside out around her as she contracted against him and shook with an almost painful sensation of pleasure. She opened her mouth, letting go of a weak call, something more primal than a human's try to form words. The female calling out to her mate in an ancient exclamation of her pleasure of fulfillment.

Herakles came in almost the same instance, felt the juices of his desire fire off inside of her as she arched back against him, and he became oddly aware of the glittering diamonds of water on her neck and the beating pulse beneath as she craned her neck and called out. And he heard someone make a strange sound, almost like a bull. And that someone was he!  
>"Herakles?"<br>"Hebe!"

Had he ever come so forcefully? He wasn't sure, he doubted it hard. Not even Deianeira… Not ever…

0O0O0

When it was over, when they were both spent, Hebe was lying there resting her head against his chest, listening to his heart beat and simply enjoying this moment. She knew that this wouldn't last. It simply couldn't last. They could never be together; they were such a bad match. She a bastard of Hera, he a bastard of Zeus - the sins of the royal couple incarnated. Their presence a constant reminder that first Zeus then Hera had broken their mutual promise of faithfully loving each other. And as such Hebe and Herakles should really be kept as far from each other as possible. Alas faith could be cruel sometimes, pushing these two deities together as if they were just another couple of strangers in the night, with their sheets of history hidden for each other and their future filled with possibilities ready to harvest together.

Then again, now was now, why worry about tomorrow? The two of them still had some moments here in the smoky solitude and warm waters of the Hot Well which were only theirs. Moments while they could linger in each other's arms and pretend that it would last forever.


	19. The path of two hearts

**The path of two hearts**

"We can't pretend this never happened," Herakles said as he was handing Hebe her towel. Of course, being gods they could simply dry off just wishing themselves dry, but that was not as cozy as to snuggle up inside a warm, fuzzy textile.  
>"I know." she replied, looking at the tall, beefy god out of the corner of her eye. Herakles was even heftier than Ares, although not as tall, and he was hardly graceful in his moves. Instead his body language was utilitarian and straightforward, as if he had never bothered to use it to create an appearance, but simply to acquire what he wanted. He used his body so totally down-to-earth that it was almost funny to see. And still, it was that uncomplicated way of carrying himself that made him so completely attractive in her eyes.<p>

"So now what?" He looked at her for guidance.  
>"We try to use some common sense, Herc. I'm not going to insult your intelligence by pointing out that we can't even begin to ponder a relationship. We are simply not meant to be."<br>"Why?"  
>"You asking me why? Well in case you haven't noticed our parents, I mean your dad is married to my mum. Which makes us step siblings. Which makes our relation almost incestuous. On top of that we are both some sort of weapons our parents wield in front of each other when their marriage waver. And chaos knows it does that a lot, although it used to be a great deal worse. So Zeus would be furious if he learned about this. Not to mention my mother. She'd have a fit for sure! I can't even begin to... I'm quite certain that if anyone found out what we did here today the word would travel faster than the wind to the ears of Zeus and Hera and we would probably both be kicked out of Olympos or something."<p>

"Is the thought of being an Olympian really more appealing to you, dear Hebe, than being with the one you love?" He came up close to her at that moment and using two fingers he touched her gently on her cheek. Light as a feather was his touch against her soft skin as he pushed away a strand of hair from her face. And her lids clipped as she tried to decide if should fight against the sensation his touch created – or give in to it.  
>"Herakles, I'm not sure this is love. It was good sex - no, scratch that. Fabulous sex. But love - I don't know. It feels quite a bit too quick to make such a presumption. Besides, 'being an Olympian' isn't only... About this community. What I mean is that this family consists of people I love, people who dropped everything to come and get me when I was caught by the most terrible beings. People who care! And don't give me the babble that If I hadn't been Olympian I wouldn't have been caught in the first hand, because that's oh, so hypothetic! So what you and I have to do now is to start thinking of getting real. Really real!"<p>

"So you're just going to turn page and let this afternoon be buried in the maze of discarded memories?"  
>"Herakles, it's not that easy and you know it. I will probably go back to this event over and over again in my mind, lusting for more of what we did. Trying to figure out how we could sneak away for this again and again. I am but a woman, with the passion and desire of a woman. I'm Hera's daughter, chastity doesn't become me. Nevertheless I cannot let myself become infatuated with you for just some sex, Herakles, no matter how amazing it was. Besides - you know love, probably better than I do. Would you call this love?"<br>"It could - become."  
>"If we let it. But we can't."<br>"We can't?" he echoed.  
>"I mean..."<br>"I know what you mean - and I don't think I care."

Herakles took Hebe's head in his large hands, stroke her cheeks anew. And the tears which has started to form in her eyes dried up - how odd that felt. She so wanted to give way, she so wanted to lose herself in him, to open the door to her heart and let him in. But he was Herakles. And she was Hebe. And their love was - if not outright forbidden - so highly impropriate.  
>"You want it to become?" she almost whispered.<br>"It will become, Hebe. It will. I know it - I feel it right here inside my heart - the soul transformation! Perhaps it has already - I thought about that even before you became kidnapped, that I had some kind of feelings for you. I fought against them, but there are certain things not even Herakles can fight."  
>"It's our parent's curse." Hebe whispered.<br>"Let go of Zeus and Hera now. They have nothing to do with it. This is about us."  
>"Yes but - I meant - You're like Zeus. Of course you should fall for someone like Hera."<p>

At her words he couldn't help smiling:  
>"You're a clever one. One really have to watch what one says around you or you're going to twist it all around."<br>"I don't mean to twist anything you say, Herakles." she sighed and once again she reached out and touched him. "I too have these strange feelings inside of me and I don't know what to do with them. I want them to go away. And at the same time not. So very much not. Right now I want to run away with you, but simultaneously I'm afraid to wake up one morning and realize that all has been a delusion. That our love was just a shadow of a dream, something we pretended was happening because it fit us right for the moment. And then to crawl back to Olympos again and become Lonely Hebe - that would just shatter my heart."

"Then we'll make sure it won't turn out that way then."  
>"How?"<br>"Actually," - he moved his hands from her cheek and down to her shoulder, held her an arm's length away to better regard her. "Let's walk out of here like 'just friends' now and go home to our respective places and think this over. Really and totally. And if both of us still feel that we cannot let go of the other one we better do some exploration. To see what happens further on. For me to come and teach at the Academeia - that would be just perfect! I cannot think of a better excuse to hide behind when I want to be near you. I mean, not even Eros would suspect a thing."  
>"Yeah - you're probably right. We'll do it your way, Herc. And no touching in public. Let's just behave against each other like ever before."<br>"That will be hard."  
>"But necessary."<p>

O0O0O

The sun had came out when they left the Well, and almost all the clouds surrounding the mountaintop were gone, the air becoming warm and dry, so different from what it had felt like earlier in the morning. They split up rather early, to make sure they didn't become seen together by anyone. Hebe went right, clockwise around the mountain on a pretty little path beneath blossoming cherry trees, those pink flowers heralding the return of Persephone who was due any day now. And out on the grass plane she spotted geese engaging in the same kind of antics as she and Herakles had earlier, although these birds didn't care about hiding it.  
>"Lucky you," she murmured as they continued their fun together. Then she sped up and almost jogged the last few hundred metres home, past the houses of Dicaeosyne and Aloeus before she short-cut by jumping over the hedge and then crossing her own lawn.<p>

Not long after Hebe found herself in her own garden where she tried to bind up a wine with a mind of its own. She wanted it to grow lush and cover the little wooden portal completely but it just refused to do that, instead it seemed set upon migrating over to the orange trees nearby.  
>"I better go ask Demeter about this," she said to herself after a while. "She's at home today and she'll know what to do. And that'll give me something else than Herakles to think about."<p>

Hebe removed her gardening gloves and took off the tready and bleached old tunic she used for activities like this, when she didn't want to bother with clothes which might become torn and dirty. Instead she conjured down a purple dress from her closet and tied up her hair. Finally she washed her hands and her face in the little fountain in the middle of her garden. She skipped shoes though, walking barefoot in Demeter's soft grass was a pure bliss, and she sure was going to take that chance.

This time she didn't walk but flew over, after all Hebe was the kind of goddess who - when she had made up her mind about something - wanted to go from thought to action as fast as possible. 'A little less conversation' that was a good way to describe this daughter of Hera.

O0O0O

As always when he wanted to think Herakles decided to do some arms training. Target practicing with those little Death Stars he had got from Ares. They had come to some use in the Titans' nest, but Herakles felt that he needed to train quite a bit more with them, he was a far cry from Ares when it came to aim. The way his brother had thrown them into the gap of screaming ogres was something Herakles wanted to learn as well, but so far the iron stars didn't lay well in his large hands. So he went down in the basement where he kept his weaponry very much in the same style as the God of War. There he kept the same kind of dummies as well, dummies that could move if you ordered them to, another ingenious creation of the ever clever Hephaestos. And Herakles told the dummies to come against him in a random zig zag patterns. It was almost like fighting living targets. Almost.

When the Hephaestos-made dummies assaulted him he started to throw his death stars, putting at least two of the dummies out of action immediately. The third and the fourth was harder. They kept coming at him and he missed both of them, having the stars hitting the stone walls instead, where they made very little damage, just spit some tiny sparks. So he started all over and this time he managed to hit three of the dummies, while the fourth star fell short. Next time he was down at two again. This wouldn't do! He ought to to be better than this; he could almost hear Ares' mocking laughter ringing in his ears.

Was it Hebe's shadow that distracted him? No, he was seldom this sensitive, Herakles thought. He used to be very much able to concentrate on his training, even if there had been an attraction to someone of the opposite sex in the back of his mind. Then again it was a long time since he had nurtured these kinds of feelings for a woman. Not since the first years with Deianeira and that was almost 40 years ago now. A good deal past sixty Herakles thought he was better at comprehend his feelings, but apparently he fell short this time. On the other hand had he never been in love with a full blood goddess before. And what did he expect really? Seeing how men like Hephaestos, Ares, Notus and Helios were struggling with their own feelings, Herakles ought to know that it was not an easy task getting one's mind-set sorted out. Chaos, Ares was ten times as old as himself and he had once confessed to Herakles over a cup of wine that save for in war and battle he had no clue of his inner soul workings.

Herakles wished there was someone he could ask for advice, but fact was that since this goddess he desired was Hebe, and thus the matter delicate, there was no one. If there had been anyone else, like Aphrodite, Iris or Selene, it would've been a completely different story. Or Eos who had clearly showed she wanted him. Aphrodite had shown interest in him already eight years ago, but after a few hot nights Herakles had felt so assaulted with bad conscience that she had turned further advances down. Aphrie was after all married to his brother Heph, and she ought to think a little bit more about her husband's feelings. And so should he, Herakles reasoned.

Naturally his thoughts then looped back to Hebe. He saw her pretty face complete with those droplets of hot water on her neck - and that was so incredible enthralling he couldn't let the sensation go. Therefore Herakles realized there was no use beating about the bush, he was madly in love with this girl and there was no denying it. He kept seeing her smiling brown eyes in front of him all the time, he kept hearing her brook water laughter and he was longing to lay his hands upon those smooth, velvet orbs of her breasts once more. He yearned to kiss those rosebud lips and holding her petite but strong body against his own, burying his nose into that red fluff of almond-smelling hair, feeling it tickle his nostrils and cheeks. Chaos, but he wanted her, chaos how he wanted to ran off with her somewhere and just stay there with her, making love to her over and over again. The pictures flashing inside of his eyes gave him a hard on again, and he had to put down his weapons and lean against the rough stone wall and breathing slowly to relax the tenseness. Force himself to think of Stymphalian birds and Caledonian boars instead.

She was so different from Deianeira. At first glance she appeared much more childish and vulnerable than his tough and smart, mortal wife had been, but when Hebe talked and reasoned it was obvious she carried a wisdom that went way beyond her years. She had tempers and was not afraid to show her feelings (then again no Olympian was) and she was quick with both laughter and tears, although she could sit down and reason for lengthy times. At the same time she wasn't questioning everything like Deianeira always had done. She wasn't obsessed with always getting the last word in every discussion and prove him wrong and she didn't appear annoyed when someone corrected her. She loved children and teaching and she had told him of the longing of children of her own. On top of that she was good at organizing and planning even if she did have a fair strike of restlessness in her soul. And where Deianeira had been obsessed with clothing and shoes, Hebe just seemed to pull the first dress out of her closet and wind up her hair just to get it out of the way. And still she always looked gorgeous in her youthful, bohemian way.

However then there was her mother. Hera. Just the thought of the divine queen made the god bit his lips against the discomfort. Hera had been nothing but polite towards him during his years at Olympos, still she had never shown any interest in going beyond it. Most of the time it was as if the Queen pretended that Herakles didn't exist. And now he desired her daughter, and he couldn't help fearing Hera's reaction when she learned that. Still, it was just as he had told Hebe – they could not let their respective parents come between them!

Cursing Herakles started over with his exercise, and this time it went a bit better. At his second try he managed to hit all the dummies. And he thought of the ideas mortals had about the life of a god. That it was a laid back and an easy one to lead. How wrong they were, how wrong he himself had been once. There was nothing as complicated as the divine path of life.

O0O0O

Hebe found Demeter gardening of course, that was what this goddess almost always did when she was not working, keeping the world blossoming and growing. Hard to tell the difference some people might think, but Demeter simply loved everything that grew and bloomed. And it was in her very own gardens she got the chance to be creative. To make experiments and create wonderful, beautiful things instead of the more routine tasks of growing crops and seed and debating with weather gods about the best blend of sun and rain, cold and heat for this plant or that one.

This time when Hebe arrived, the goddess of growth was squatting in the shadow of a large lark tree, forming flower petals with her skilled hands. And she was not alone, next to her sat Aphrodite regarding her works intensely.  
>"I'm calling this an orkid," Demeter said and removed her hand from the white little flower so Aphrodite could see it.<br>"It's magnificent" the goddess of love said. Then she sensed Hebe's approach and looked up: "Oh, hello darling! What brings you over here?"  
>"Some stupid vegetables in my own garden," Hebe replied after returning the greetings of Aphrodite and Demeter.<p>

"In what way are they stupid?" Demeter said and rose, brushing dirt and pollen from her hands. Just like Hebe she used sturdy clothing for garden work - brown leather pantyhose which had seen better days centuries ago and a short, green armless tunic. Her dark brown locks were tied up on top of her head and she didn't seem to know - or care - that she had more than one smudge of dirt upon her face. Still she was beautiful in her own way, shining of health and wellness.  
>"Oh - it's a wine," and then Hebe explained what she wanted to acquire.<br>"Oh you'll have to cut it down quite a bit, dear." Demeter told. "All those stray strands, away with them!"  
>"But I don't want to do that," Hebe wrinkled her brows. "I don't want to hurt it."<br>"It's not really going to hurt it," Demeter replied. "Greenery doesn't work that way. Think of it like your children in school, what do you do when they misbehave?"

"I tell them off."  
>"Even if that might hurt their feelings?"<br>"Yeah well - it's not like I'm hitting them or so. They should be able to stand some lecturing."  
>"It's the same with your wine," Demeter replied. "It needs to be told of to stay where it is, to behave accordingly to its purpose. And it won't do that if you're soft with it, Hebe. It needs to learn that you are the one in control, that it's your garden and that it has a purpose there, a purpose you decide. On the other hand, when you have cut it down do give it some extra water."<br>"I'll give that a try," Hebe said and complimented Demeter on her orchid. And the goddess of herbs and growth smiled:  
>Miladies, I think it's time for some lemonade, right!"<p>

Both Aphrodite and Hebe agreed and their host went inside. That left Hebe together with Aphrodite who was looking at her with thoughtful lavender eyes.  
>"What?" Hebe asked after a few seconds of silence.<br>"You can tell me." Aphrodite replied.  
>"Tell what?"<br>"You know!"  
>"You want to hear more about my gardening or what? I assure you it's quite boring."<br>"No, I want to hear about him - whoever he is."  
>"Him - who?"<br>"Yes, that's what I'm curious about. For starters."

"Aphrie there's..."  
>"'...no one!' How many times don't you thing I've heard that particular sentence over the centuries? And it always proves to be a pretty little white lie. But sweetheart I have eyes to see with, you know. Your aura so gives you away. As do that smile too."<br>"Yes, there's someone," Hebe admitted after some moments of hesitation, feeling her cheeks redden. Trust Aphrodite to sense these things! "But I don't want to tell whom yet. Because it's rather new. And it's rather delicate. You know, I'm not even sure I want to develop those feelings. Perhaps you know what to do? If you feel that you're starting to fall for someone totally inappropriate."  
>"I could say go with the flow. Because that's what I usually do. However I'm in quite a bit of a different position here than you are. I'm almost expected to sleep around. While you have to behave. You're a teacher of youth; you can't be as promiscuous as I. So, Hebe, what does he feel?"<p>

"He feels the same. In fact I think he might be even more eager than I."  
>"Men usually are." Aphrodite told. "They storm ahead while we girls prefer to take it a bit more slow and watchful. Which in the end does not at all mean that our feelings are weaker. They just take more time to develop and bloom. So if he starts to rush you, bear my words in mind. If you should feel that you need more time, don't hesitate to tell him so. If his feelings are real he'll still be there when you have caught up with what you feel and desire."<br>"And if he's not?"  
>"Then you know it - that for him it was not the real thing."<br>"What do I do then?"  
>"Forget and go on with your life. I know that it appears like I'm making it sound too easy when I say it and I also know it's not easy. Far from easy to be true! But that's the best thing to do. Linger in something that cannot ever be is not a good idea - ever. "<p>

"My problem - our problem," Hebe said and looked at Aphrodite who was winding a golden lock around her delicate pinky finger. "Our problem is that our love is not really – well, of the appropriate kind."  
>"Happens all the time," the goddess of love sighed. "It's one of Zeus's sons, right?"<br>"How'd you guess?"  
>"Just some intuition."<p>

"What's your advice? About the inapt thing that is."  
>"If it's real - don't let what others may think get in the way. It will only hurt and to little use. We cannot always go around worrying about what other people may think about what we do. Because wherever you turn, whatever you do, there's always someone who's going to think you're out of line. You remember when I got caught up in that net with Ares?"<br>"Yeah, I was there." Hebe almost blushed yet another time.  
>"You know, first I was so ashamed and felt so humiliated and ridiculed you wouldn't believe. But then I decided that in the long turn it didn't matter at all. I'm the goddess of love, and one little misstep after being ignored by my busybody husband is not really that much to fuzz about. And besides your bro' is a hottie. Well, both of them are, but - this is not about me! Now tell me, who is he? I promise to keep my lips sealed."<br>"Eh - Herakles," Hebe said and hid her face in her hands. She didn't know why she told Aphrodite, perhaps it was the desire to somewhat try to ease her burden.  
>"No worries," Aphrodite laid an arm around Hebe's shoulders. "It will work out fine - one way or the other. And in the meantime I'll keep that little treasure of a secret for you."<p>

"You don't look overly surprised. I mean I sure was when this started happening to me."  
>"I'm not, dear. When it comes to the ways of love it was long ago they stopped surprising me. Although they're still trying their best. And you two kind of fit each other."<br>"Because we're - outsiders? Bastards of the divine couple."  
>"No... well, sort of... But more because you have this urge to pinpoint mortals and help. While people like Zeus, Athena, Apollo - and even our Demeter - are more into planning things on the larger scale, both you and Heracles are thinking of the single mortals, one by one. And - I admit - I'm very much the same! I want to help lovers, make it work for them - and to Tartarus with the larger scheme of things!"<p>

Hebe giggled and thanked the goddess of love and at the same time Demeter returned with two nymphs in tow who were carrying not only lemonade but warm pies and fresh fruit as well. And since Hebe still felt a bit cautious she didn't mention a thing about her and Aphrodite's little conversation to Demeter. Neither did Aphrodite. Demeter wasn't as keen on gossip as for instance Hestia, still Hebe felt she wanted to keep the secret a bit more secured.

O0O0O

"You told Aphrodite?" Herakles looked almost angered where he stood in the middle of his living room. Hebe was sitting down on a coach, regarding him with slightly wary eyes. Outside the panoramic widow the narrow waterfall was flushing down the steep and rocky hillside and someone, Iris most probably, had painted a rainbow across the contracted ravine. It was a beautiful panorama, well fit for this tranquil place, still Hebe felt some kind of itch in her soul, as if she wanted to turn around and exit Herakles' house on the double. She guessed it was the anxiety of having to confess that she had told the goddess of love.

"Iris, get a life for faith's sake." Hebe couldn't help huffing while regarding that rainbow. Then she turned to Herakles. "She sort of wriggled it out of me."  
>"Yeah she seems to be quite good at these things."<br>"But she promised to keep the secret."  
>"Hope she'll stay true to that promise then," Herakles' voice bristled with doubht.<br>"I know she will. She may be promiscuous but she's not dishonest in that way. After all a lot can be said about Aphrodite, but she's not the gossiping kind."  
>"She's not?"<br>"No. Then again about half of the gossip at Olympos is ABOUT her."

Herakles had to admit she was right. He sat down next to Hebe and took her hands.  
>"Thus I guess it's real enough for you when you can't help talking beside your mouth. And to Aphrodite of all people! Hebe I've been doing some thinking too. And it's real for me as well. We cannot deny ourselves this - the feelings we have for each other. It would be so utterly wrong and it would benefit no one in the end. Just hurt us. And whoever we meet later on and try to love will be forever shadowed by the one we decided not to have just because of what other people might think about it."<br>"So you think this is the perfect match then? Well what if it isn't?"  
>"Then we will learn that and it won't stop us from going further on and seeking love elsewhere. Because then we'll know that we tried and it didn't work and that's the end of it."<p>

"I hope you're right."  
>"I know I am."<br>"And if you're not in spite."  
>"Then I'm right in spite!" Herakles laughed when he said the last thing and that was one of the most wonderful laughter Hebe had ever heard. And she knew it too now. Which path to follow. The path of two hearts.<p>

Herakles' kiss became the first step along that walk.


	20. Rhodos

**Rhodos**

"So what about Rhodos?" Hebe asked. "Are you coming with me or not?" Herakles turned around in bed, still a bit weary and fuzzy-eyed after their love making.  
>"When are you planning to go there?"<br>"Next week."  
>"So soon?"<br>"Uh-hm. Have to start as soon as possible if I should be able to accept pupils at the start of the next spring semester. Sweetie..."

With the gentlest of touch Hebe stroke Herakles' whiskered chin, feeling its warm and rogue texture against the tip of her fingers. His thoughtful green eyes were regarding her where she laid resting in the hook of his left arm. He could be mistaken for Zeus, she though. And yet not. There was something more mellow over Herakles. More relaxed and easy-going. Then again Herakles didn't have to worry about the millions of things which kept Zeus busy all the time. Herakles could follow his whims if he liked. He could come with her to Rhodos should he so desire. And decide such things on a short notice, something Zeus with his full agenda would never be able to do.

Hebe knew that Zeus used to travel a lot following his caprices when both he and the world were younger. But these days their society had become so much more complicated, with such a variety and plethora of things going on and so incredibly much more for a King of the Gods to do, even if he was delegating all over the place. Consequently Zeus had to stay on Olympos and do his thing almost all the time these days. Hebe suspected that the king missed his earthside adventures and she could feel that Herakles nurtured the same desire. The desire to take off on a whim, to follow his heart to some other corner of the world just to see what was going on there, what was to be found. Hebe had never felt that urge and she knew that was something she shared with her mother. Hera was also a planner and organizer and she was more interested in doing a good day's job than just flutter away on some unplanned undertaking. Not to mention Hephaestos…

As Hebe fingered upon a silky strand of his hair, twiddled it around her slender fingers, Herakles drew in breath:  
>"Beloved, I... I will come with you. But not immediately. It would be too suspicious."<br>"Do you really think so? I mean who would suspect...?"  
>"You never know with these Olympians. Some are so sensitive to changes in people's auras and how they interact. Just think about Aphrodite! Someone might even guess what went on in the well..."<br>"Don't worry, I took care of it. There were traces of love energies still there when we left, but I blurred them. Besides lingering love energies in The Hot Well isn't anything which surprises anyone. People are having sex there all the time. I think the one coming after us might've suspected Zeus and Hera - if anything."

"Still a bit of cautiousness is never wrong. What if those coming actually were Zeus and Hera?"  
>"Relax a bit will you, Herc. However, if it feels better for you to wait a couple of days, go ahead and do so. But not too many days please! Promise!"<br>"I Promise!"  
>"Oh, you're the best! I'll make the place ready for your arrival meanwhile, dear!" She stretched, pulling her hands over her head, touching the soft mahogany on the headboard, before she in one swift move swirled her legs over the edge of the bed and stood up, fully intending to start the new day for real.<p>

0O0O0

The waves were crashing against the piers of the harbour, spraying their salty liquid over rocks, boats and people indiscriminately and a pale sun was playing hide and seek between rags of clouds. As the chilly wind forced Hebe to shield slightly she wondered who might be in a foul mood today. Poseidon probably. Hebe shrugged; the sea god could have his tantrums over the stupidest things after all. He had been really upset for that thing with the volcano for instance. Turning her back to the unruly sea Hebe took in her landside surroundings from her vantage point at the high rock. There it was, the gentle rolling slope covered in grass and poppies. There were low pines almost hunching against the harsh climate. With the hillside as an almost protective backdrop laid the abandoned villa overlooking the sea and the harbour of this more or less desolate part of Northern Rhodos. The wild roses which had given the island its name were growing everywhere, their thorny bushes a sight for sore eyes and Hebe hoped to be able to lure her sister Karpo here to help her with them.

The villa was large, it had been a fine estate once and some of its beauty still remained, whatever these days the building sure looked like it could need an extreme make-over. New balconies, window sills, blinds, plaster for the walls and most of all a new thatch. Wine was covering most of the structure so it didn't look that bad from the outside. But Hebe knew the state the house was in. The crumbling terraces and the missing ornaments. Dangerous stairways where floor tiles were coming off. Most windows broken. Indoors there were even more things falling apart. She hardly dared to let in mortals there because of the many hazards. But the workmen were on their way. Carpenters, brick layers and thatchers. And a lot of others. There sure was a lot in need to be done before this place could become the second Academeia.

Hebe had found this place less than a year ago and bought the estate with some of her savings. She hadn't told anybody back then because she calculated with her mother to dissuade her. As well as Zeus, Auxesia and quite a few others. Auxesia always sided with her mother after all. Whatever Hera said Auxesia was all for it, as if she almost had no will at all by herself. The only one's support Hebe had really counted on at that time had been Athena. And sure, the goddess of wisdom had backed up Hebe's plans, and promised to come and help if the work would feel overwhelming. The next one to show her willingness to help had been Artemis and Hebe had felt overly grateful and blessed her step sisters.

This time there was Herakles too. Hebe grew all warm and fuzzy inside while thinking of her beloved. His voice, his eyes and his... well, everything there was. It surprised her how fast it had all happened. How she seemed to have lost all sense and reason. So unlike her. And so unlike her to fall in love with Herakles of all people, the man she had hit off so badly with when he first came to Olympos a bit more than a decade back. Thirteen years were next to nothing by Olympic standards, but she was still young, so for her it felt like quite a long time.

But what if this was wrong? What if her feelings for Herakles were just some darn reaction upon her awful event of imprisonment by the chthonian and her Titans and ogres? What if the emotions she held were really some kind of confusion caused by the post dramatic stress disorder? What if the remedy she really needed was someone to just hold her and comfort her and she had selected Herakles just because he happened to be around? What if this wouldn't last? After all the chance felt so slim. What if she would wake up one day and regret the whole mess, wondering what had been on her mind? She wasn't Aphrodite; she wasn't out to get laid. At least not with such a yearning that she was willing to do everything, risking all she had including her dignity! So Hebe kept counting 'what if's in her mind like she was counting poppies in the field.

Yes, it all seemed so completely out of place and Hebe was quite sure that there were a lot of people including her mother who would not look with pleased eyes upon their relation. Not to mention Zeus. On the other hand she was not her mother, it was time for her to stop thinking so much of how Hera would react and instead start thinking for herself, and start doing what SHE, HEBE felt was right. And Zeus, what did he know? When had he ever looked at her and seen beyond his wife's betrayal? When had he ever seen her, Hebe, and not just a bastard daughter whom he had been made to adopt to keep the peace on top of Olympos?

Hebe forced all those thoughts away and decided instead to concentrate on here and now and her plans for this new Academeia. She closed her eyes slightly and tried to imagine this place with a renovated main building, wings surrounding it, a front yard for outdoors gatherings, an herbal garden, stables, a theatre, athletic facilities and most of all children and teenagers running around in the vicinity. Upon doing that it all suddenly felt so real, she could almost hear the laughter of the pupils and the campanile bell calling for class.

She saw stables for horses and other animals, she saw life stock gracing the outer parts of the estate, she saw the new road leading up to the wall and the gates and she saw the dorms ready and inhibited, instead of the half-finished structures which were there at the moment.  
>"Yes!" Hebe said out loud. "This is going to work out fine! This is going to be - perhaps even better than the Cyprus one. Because this time I knew what mistakes I made back there and I won't repeat them. Mother, Auxesia and all the rest are going to be surprised when they learn what I've achieved. Now I better get to work here!"<p>

0O0O0

Herakles arrived about a week later. At that time the renovation work was already in full swing. There were workers all over, hammering, sawing, thatching, painting, laying bricks and removing broken parts. There were gardeners rooting up and clearing away weed and there were a handful war veterans preparing a new road up to the house. In the pipe were a wall and gates, plumbing and hopefully a few glass windows too.  
>"I have a room ready for you next to mine on the top floor." Hebe said after the first embrace of hello. "Come with me!"<br>"Wouldn't it be a bit too...?" Herakles started.  
>"Relax, big guy! No one will suspect a thing, these two rooms are the only ones ready at the moment and it was easier for the workmen to finish two adjacent to each other. On top of that no one will know that we'll only use one, right!" she said and batted her lids at the smiling Herakles.<br>"I think I'm really going to enjoy this stay," he replied and placed his hands around her slender waist.

Then Hebe started to point out where everything was happening, what the different work sites were planned to be.  
>"You're thinking of everything, dear," Herakles praised.<br>"I've done this before, you know."  
>"That wouldn't count for everything; you're almost as great a strategist as Athena!"<br>"I know nothing about war, Herc!"  
>"Strategy is not solely related to war, you know. Even if you could tell that to Ares and it would fall for deaf ears!"<p>

Hebe laughed, she was so happy he was here. Now when she saw him again, and heard his mellow, deep voice all her doubts flew away. He had told the other Olympians that he had gone here to help her with the second Academeia. Which was after all very true. Thus, far away from the prying eyes of Olympos, they began to enjoy each other's company in every thinkable manner. As the days rolled on they talked, walked, explored, researched, planned, dined and they made a lot of love. They swam in the sea and they visited the villages in the surroundings. After all with just mortals around there was no reason to be overly careful. Hebe enjoyed every second of it. She wanted it to stay like this forever - just she and Herakles here on Rhodos, with nothing to worry about but the Academeia and all the little this and that's which came with the steady progress of the renovations and preparations. She wanted to sit up in the night by the divine light lantern and made up grand plans for this place, discuss small problems and clever solutions, and she wanted him in front of her offering advices and solutions.

The first months Hebe was plagued by nightmares about her kidnap, although when she woke sweaty and shivering Herakles was always there to hold her, to sooth her and tell that it was all over now and that he would always be there for her, he would make sure that nothing like that would never ever happen to her again. And to bring emphasis to those words he taught her to defend herself as well, he trained her to fight with swords, knifes, spears and clubs - or with just her hands and feet should she be forced to do that. He showed her how to block attacks, to duck and to guard herself. And in the end Hebe became rather good at these things.  
>"You know," she told Herakles one morning "Ares tried to teach me these things when I was young but wasn't interested at all."<br>"Guess you just weren't ready to listen back then."  
>"And now I am?"<br>"And now you are," Herakles confirmed.

Hebe laughed and laid her arms around her big lover, nuzzling her head against his wide torso.  
>"I'm always ready for you my dear, and I guess fighting is no exception."<br>"As long as it doesn't get real," he smiled. With a tug in his heart he suddenly recalled Deianeira. How she and he had fought at the end of their marriage. And how ashamed he had felt over the things he had called her sometimes. How he had let his temper ride him and made him lose what little sense of dignity he had. Deianeira had not been nice either but that was little comfort. He had after all loved her so much once. He and Deianeira had known true love, how could that've been so destroyed? His former wife was old now, going on sixty and he hadn't even seen her in years and years. He wondered if she ever thought about him and what kind of thoughts those were. Did she remember the good parts or the bad parts? And had she taken herself another man just as he just had taken another woman?

With those thoughts Herakles returned to here and now and his present beloved who stood with her face beaming up at him, sun streaked red hair surrounding it like petals of those red dandelions Demeter for some reason had cancelled.  
>"It won't get real!" Hebe said and placed a finger upon his lips. "Not with you. Because we're honest with each other and we trust. That's the best way to stay friends. That and to care. And there's no one I care more about than you, my love."<br>"As do I for you, Windflower," he confessed and held her.

0O0O0

"Here's where we'll build the new harbour" Hebe told as she pointed across the beach towards a natural pier of stones were some men were working with moving the large boulders using long iron poles and a lot of profanities.  
>"They're going to move all those stones?" Herakles enquired.<br>"Yeah – most of them. I'll re-arrange them roughly like this to make a working landing for boats." Hebe took up a stick of driftwood and started to sketch in the sand. A square-shaped blueprint took form in front of him and he could clearly see where she had acquired her drawing skills. Hepahestos' workshop.  
>"Seems like a hard task."<br>"Will take them most of the week I think." Hebe replied.

"A week – for mortal men to move stones? When you got me here? Little girl what were you thinking? Transfer them to the roadwork and let me fix this instead. I promise I'll have it done by dinnertime."  
>"Herc? You're… You mean you'll volunteer for this menial work?"<br>"Certainly. I used to do this a lot back then as a mortal."  
>"But you're a god now!"<br>"And even stronger than before. Now are you going to stand there the whole day or are you going to transfer these men, and let me do this for you instead?"  
>"Oh, my hero!" Laughing Hebe threw away the driftwood stick and then she was in his arms.<p>

0O0O0

"I have a bad feeling about this bloke" Herakles pondered as the last man in a row of interviewed teacher candidates had walked out through the door.  
>"Why?" Hebe asked. "He seems like good at what he does and it's hard to find good horse men these days when there's another war brewing in the east."<br>"It's not the horses I'm worried about," Herakles replied. "But I caught some very creepy thoughts slipping from his mind. I know you've told me to not read minds, that it's impolite, but this man was literally transmitting…"  
>"Transmitting what?" Hebe lifted a questioning brow.<p>

"He was thinking about – young boys. And what he wanted to do with them. Visions of barely teens dancing in his mind."  
>"Weee! Gross!" Hebe made a face. "We did have a problem with a bloke like that one of the first years down on Cyprus. I'll scratch him from the list immediately!"<p>

0O0O0

"Some more red, Herc!" Hebe said as she looked out in what was supposed to be the communal refectory. The workers had finished paining the walls and young carpenter's apprentices were placing out furniture in the large hall. Sturdy tables and benches made of oak and fit together without nails the way people did it here. Hebe had been worried that the furnishing would not last the rough handling by hordes of hungry children, but some of the apprentices had proved her wrong simply by standing up on the tables and jumping upon them and then tipping them over. No problem! They didn't even catch dents.

"Where do you put the red then?" Herakles asked and looked out over the large room. "Table clothes? Curtains?"  
>"No, we skipped those already the second year at Cyprus. They don't last the children's handling, they get dirty and torn. No, I guess we need to paint some of the door frames and furniture openings in a brighter colour. Red lives it up."<br>"Sure this place will be vibrant enough. You do know kids. They rather need some calming down. How about blue?"  
>"Nah… there's blue everywhere else. I want to break the colour scheme somewhere. To surprise and initiate creative thinking. And then red awakens hunger, and these children will need to eat a lot since they'll be in their growing years."<p>

"How can anyone argue with you, clever girl!"  
>"I've done this before you know. And I love this; I can't wait to see this place populated with little ones!"<br>"So do I, cutie. Meanwhile I guess you'll have to be content with my company."  
>"Yeah, that's such a burden!" she pushed him jokingly in the firm belly, feeling strong muscles move there as he begun to laugh. Then he laid his strong arms around her waist and lifted her slightly so he could bow down and place a kiss upon her lips.<p>

"Herc, people are looking!"  
>"And I don't care. This isn't Olympos after all, dear!" Herakles laughed and swept her into his arms, deepening the kisses which burned like wild fire upon Hebe's lips and spread through her entire body until it made even the toes curl.<p>

0O0O0

The watcher was regarding Heracles and Hebe now. They sure were vulnerable here with their guards so much down, so trusting in the security of their surroundings. On the other hand they were small preys. The watcher sure wanted something bigger - like Athena or Apollo. But for that chance to occur the waiting would have to be longer. The waiting and the planning. But the watcher had time, that was one of the few commodities there was plenty of.


	21. Redemption of the exiled one

**Redemption of the exiled one**

"Herc, I want you to sit in on the interview with this man," Hebe asked of her beloved who looked up from the wall he was bricking. She smiled, Herakles sure loved to work with his hands, and no matter that the man was a god, an Olympian god, no task seemed too menial to him. In that sense he reminded her of her beloved brother Hephaestos.  
>"Okay," Herakles dried off his hands on a rag, not that it helped much, it was as grimy as everything else around. Another Hephaestos deja-vu. "Tell me about him!"<p>

"Ehrm…" Hebe began, a bit distracted. "He's… I've seen him once and I asked him to come back today. He's… peculiar in a way that I find… I don't know how to describe it, but the man is intelligent and he carries wisdom of the ancient kind. He seems… old."  
>"He's a god?"<br>"Yeah – well – he's immortal, if that's what you mean. He's…"  
>"What, Hebe?"<br>"I have a feeling there's something familiar with him. As if I ought to know him for some reason. Or at least recognize him. Perhaps he has been at Olympos at one time, still I cannot for my life figure out when that can have been."

Herakles regarded Hebe as she searched for words again, her lovely brows a bit wrinkled and her lover lip undergoing a hard chew, something Hebe did without being aware when she thought hard of something. And he sure wanted to cuddle her, because she was so incredibly charming when she lost herself in puzzlement this way. And he – he had just learned the difference between an immortal and a god – the latter being more like a profession while the former being a biological status. And now he placed his hands upon Hebe's shoulders, trying to help her along.  
>"Honeybabe… don't try to tell me. I'll come with you instead, make up my own mind about this – god. See if he's a good teacher. Although I do admit having another immortal at the Academeia could always be a benefit. Then we don't have to be around constantly to ensure the safety of the compound."<p>

Hebe nodded, both were thinking about the same thing. The attack against the Academeia on Cyprus last month, when an enraged mob had ascended the hill, believing outlandish and dark witchcraft being performed up there. Someone – they had never learned whom – had started to spread the rumour that there were evil things being taught up at the Academeia, that black magic was in use and that it was endangering the whole island of Cyprus. So the mob had lit torches and started their marsh up the hill to root out what they feared was evil. And it could've ended in distaster, hadn't one teacher being quick of mind enough to call for Hebe and if she in turn hadn't been fast to drop what she was doing, grab Herakles and set off for the original Academeia.

The appearance of two Olympians had calmed the mob quite a bit and sent most of the mortals back home like punished dogs with their tails between their legs in shame, but Hebe feared what might have happened if she and Herakles hadn't been so hasty to arrive, if the mortal mobs had managed to break the gate to the Academeia, which wasn't really that sturdy, but more a symbolic marking of a boundary. People might've gotten wounded, even killed. People she cared about and wanted with her whole being to protect and keep safe.

Now, Herakles squeezed her shoulders lightly, bringing her back to now again.  
>"When is this mystery teacher due," he asked of her and she smiled.<br>"This afternoon. We can have lunch now and I'll let you in on what I know of this man and why I want your second opinion about him."  
>"What is it you're concerned about?"<br>"It's his... I'm not sure if it's him or me, but it seems like he's the one measuring me instead of the other way around, as it should be. And it's not just because he's so much older – he said he'd been around since the Titan war, for faith's sake - but there's something he does all the time. Trying to look into my soul and trying to enquire about Olympos and about your father and all those things."  
>"Just tell him, that's not what this is about," Heracles said with his down-to-earth voice. "Tell him to stick to topic. And if you feel intimidated by him, just call off the interview and tell him 'don't call us, we call you'. After all this is your place, it is you who call the shots, Hebe."<p>

"I know that but – at the same time I feel he could be a valuable asset, even if he's peculiar. He seems intelligent and cunning and…"  
>"You must show him you're the boss, Hebe!"<br>"Yes, I know that. I'm no rookie in this, but…"  
>"I can't believe I'm telling you this! You've always seemed to secure in this role, so why the hesitation now? Over one man, my dear little heart. One teacher to might-be. Even if he's a god, I mean it's not like we don't have a whole mountaintop full of them if we should need more divine help here!<p>

"Yes, I know. That's why I'm asking you to come too, to see if you feel the same around him or if it's just me."

As they sat down opposite of each other at the lunch table, with a grilled chicken, freshly baked bread and some corn cobs between themselves, Herakles asked Hebe to tell more about the mystery man. Hebe broke some bread for herself and fingered upon it a bit, using it to soak up some juice from the chicken meat. Then she felt she had stalled long enough and put the piece of bread in her mouth and chewed and swallowed it fast, finishing with a gulp of watered wine.  
>"Herc, he was one of those applications we got in the second round. He came around here two days ago, was the last one in. He was looking for that position in engineering, but he said he could teach philosophy as well."<br>"An odd combination," Heracles pointed out and Hebe nodded her head.  
>"I agree. And that's where it started. I mean, it was when I pointed out that he started to behave strange. He said…"<p>

O0O0O

"It is not a strange combination. Your father can do both. And has been doing both. And a lot of other things as well. And he sure trusted me to perform the same. Once, he did so.  
>"You know my father, Iapetionidês?" Surprised, Hebe looked up at the man who in spite of having dark skin like an Ethiopian had oddly pale eyes, even lighter than those of Athena.<br>"Yes, I do, a marvellous man, although he and I didn't hit off that well back in those days. But I guess we both were at fault back then, being young and eager. And not just a little bit competetive. I thought I could overtake him, win the popularity contest with the mortals…"  
>"Oh I… from where do you know him?" Hebe had to ask, even if she felt that this charming man was trying to stear the conversation off the main subject, which was about his ability to teach.<p>

"Oh, from Olympos of course!" Iapetionidês grinned and leant back in the chair, tilting it and putting his hands behind his neck and he didn't seem to be bothered with the fact that the chair was creaking alarmingly.  
>"You must be misstaken," Hebe shook her head. "Elderon's never been to Olympos."<br>"Who's been talking about Elderon? I'm thinking of the illustrious one himself. Zeus. King of the Gods, God of the Kings. Zeus all father, almighty."

Hebe sighed then. It sure wasn't the first time _that_ happened, that people misstok her for yet another daughter of Zeus. She folded her hands in front of her on the desk, trying to stear back the conversation to the open teaching positions of the New Academeia instead.  
>"Zeus is not my father," she said with her best 'end of discussion'-voice. "He's Elderon, god of animal health. Now, about this position of teaching engineering…"<br>"Why are you bothered by being called Zeus' daughter?" Iapetionidês pushed her. "I know that he didn't father you for real, but you're a daughter in his household. And as such the greatest honour resides with you, Hebe. And I'd be delighted to serve a daughter of Olympos. Especially since that would finally give me an opportunity to make up for old mistakes and redeem myself in the eyes of the Olympos. No," he said and held up an index finger, when he heard Hebe drawing breath, "let me finish. These days most people do not remember either me or what I managed to cause, but rest asure, not a day passes without me remembering what I did, the lifes I destroyed. The screams and cries tormenting my ears. Mortals, so many they were and so innocent they were. So much things I destroyed in my hast to excel. It sure has been pecking on my conscience like that eagle your father threathened me with when…"

"Now, Iapetionidês," Hebe then raised her voice. "I am very impressed by what you told me earlier, and I'm quite sure that you would be an excellent teacher, but I cannot take you in solely because you want to clean off some bad conscience of yours. This is an academy for children, not a bureau of catharsis. And just to imply…"  
>"But then simply forget these things, daughter of Zeus. And let me just teach! Let me just show that I am someone worth counting on again."<p>

Under normal circumstances Hebe would have threwn out this man out on his ass, ticking him off as one of those divine dingbats who either had a bone to pick with Olympos or wanted to suck up to it. She sure had met her fair share of these oddballs as well along her walk of life, however brief it yet was, but there was something which felt different with this Iapetionidês. There was an odd honesty in his pale eyes, and he didn't appear half as self-absorbed as those other pipsqueaks. And what was it Palaistra used to say – 'normalcy is overrated'. That was something Hebe was well ready to agree with, especially in a place like this, a school for children with special talents. They sure needed special teachers, not the regular Joe and Janes who tried to sort the kids in the designated slots. No, the pupils were going to need someone like this Iapetionidês, who was thinking way outside the box. Even if thinking outside the box appeared to have been his downfall once. But perhaps he had learned a few things since.

"Listen," the goddess said and leant forward, regarding him with curious brown eyes, meeting those gray which looked almost like they lacked irisies against the dark lashes and the slightly dilated pupils. "I am convinced that you're a great teacher and that you'll do great training young children in engineering. But! I am not willing to give you a try yet, I want you to meet my collegue first. He'll have a talk with you as well, and then he and I will think this over."  
>"Do not let my past get in the way for these children's future!" Iapetionidês insisted.<br>"I will not, their future is my foremost aim. But I need clearheaded teachers for them, because they can be unruly quite often. Therefore I'm going to need personell who don't take the easy way out called discipline, but can meet them on the narrow path of respect and co-operation instead. And that takes stable men and women to achieve. That's why I'm a bit reluctant to hire someone who let his or her history with the Olympos getting in the way of doing a good job. That is why we need to think this over. Finally, do remember that I am not Zeus' daugther. And I have a very personal reason for stressing that matter. Am I making myself clear?"

She had finished it there, and stood up to mark that the interview was over. Then she had perhaps expected another outburst from Iapetionidês, but he had just stood up himself, taken her hand and said good bye in a very polite manner, as if there never had been any discussion of Zeus or anyone else.

O0O0O

"Hmmm…" murmured Herakles when Hebe had finished. She could see that he was thinking her story over, as he chewed on the chicken drumstick. Finally he put it down and asked: "So what was it he did at Olympos? Which had upset father?"  
>"He never really told," admitted Hebe. "He just said that mortals had died because of what he did. And that it had angered Zeus."<br>"You bet it had. There's nothing father hates as much as unnessecary deaths. He's always considerate with sentient lifes, that was one of the first things I learned about him. Even before I knew he was my father to be true."  
>"Imagine I never asked it, how old were you when you found out?"<p>

"I was… twelve," Herakles told. "I was strong as an ox already back then and I encountered these big guys who tried to bully me because I was living alone with my mother, whom they said was a witch. I felt I had to defend her so I – well I beat them up. End of story – or so I thought. I had expected mother to be happy because I had defended her honour, but she was furious. Not only because I had beaten those guys almost to pulp but because I had shown off skills I wasn't allowed to let anyone see. Or we might be really in trouble."  
>"Oh – what happened? No, let me guess, these kids ran home to their parents and told about you and all chaos broke lose."<br>"Yes, under normal circumstances it would. But I guess they were ashamed of having being beaten up by a younger lad. Especially when they were three of them as well. Or perhaps they did tell, but no one believed them. Nevertheless that event made me push mother to tell the true story of my ancestry."

"And how did you take it?"  
>"I dunno. First I was proud. Then I became sad. Because everyone I knew had either a present father who were there for them or someone who couldn't because he was dead. Killed in action in that war which had ended just two years earlier. Who came home 'on his shield instead of with it' as the Spartans say. But I had a father who was a god and who couldn't care less about me."<br>"Which wasn't true."  
>"I learned that later. But enough of me now, what do you want me to ask of this Iapetionidês? Not what really happened between him and my old man I hope."<br>"Nope, forget that part, Herc. After all if it's important, I have no doubth he'll let us know later. No, concentrate on his teachings, and have him doing so as well! Try to find out if he'll fit in here with us. And if he gives this Olympos angle a spin again, just don't do my mistake. Tell him off immediately!"

"I will," Herakles nodded. "Still, I am curious about him."  
>"Yes, I understand that. At the same time I'm convinced we'll learn sooner or later. If we decide to hire him that is."<p>

O0O0O

"Iapetionidês, Right?" Herakles took his hand, and regarded the dark-skinned god with the peculiar, almost luminiscent eyes. There was something familiar with him, but the Olympian couldn't put his finger upon it.  
>"Herakles," Iapetionidês grinned. "So you've moved in with the family finally? Good for you, lad!"<br>"Do we… know each other?" Herakles furrowed his brows, guards up against any fool play from the other god.  
>"We've met!" Iapetionidês grinned even wider. "Although I looked a bit different then. A bit more like minding my own business. But you know, son of Zeus, that gets tiresome in the end. And when I saw this opportunity, so…"<br>"You went for it." Herakles nodded knowingly. "Well, I can understand that. Let's talk about your teaching experiences…"

That had triggered a rather lengty discussion between the two men and Herakles became more and more convinced that Iapetionidês was a man they couldn't be without at the Academeia. He had all the dexterity which both Hebe and Herakles appreciated. He was a teacher who seemed to be able to inspire and awoke curiosity. He knew the importance of concentration and repetition and of telling a story worthy of capturing the listener. Not once did he mention Zeus and Olympos, perhaps he had been warned off by Hebe's curt replies to his tries at nearing that subject. In the end Herakles felt convinced that Iapetionidês would fit in the equation. Thus he sent a telepatic message to Hebe. A picture of a seagull, the secret code they both had agreed upon, which meant acceptance. (A crow was their code for rejection.)

Later, when the men stood up and went out to Hebe in the sitting room, Herakles couldn't help asking where he and Iapetionidês had met earlier.  
>"You was on your way to the garden of the Hesperides. On a quest for one of the golden apples which grew there. You stopped by at my place to buy a special armour which would protect you against dragon fire, remember? Although I looked a little bit – different back then."<p>

Herakles almost dropped his notescroll at that disclosure.  
>"Prometheus!"<br>"The very one!"  
>"That was quite unexpected, I have to admit. Who would've expected you to show up here, at the Acacemeia of Hebe? The 'Persona non grata' at Olympos for such a long time. May I ask the reason why? The reason for you to want to come here to teach?"<br>"Oh, Herakles! So many questions," the old Titan tut-tutted. "It's a challenge of course, coming to a place like this and teach, something I once loved to do. I want to see if I still have it."  
>"Does it matter that we are Olympians?" Herakles couldn't help asking. "Is that part of the challenge?"<br>"If you like," Iapetionidês/ Prometheus smiled and Herakles had to fight to not become annoyed.

He had liked Prometheus upon their earlier encounter, almost 40 years ago now. And he couldn't help doing so now as well; still there was a grain in the cup. And that grain was the Olympian connection. Herakles was after all the son of Zeus. Zeus, who had had a fall-out with Prometheus once, which was so bad that both gods and mortals were still talking about it. The mortals had even given that story an extra spin, adding a cruel punishment to Zeus's dismissal of his old chancellor. Herakles didn't want that old grudge come between himself and this man. Or affect Hebe in any way.

Hebe, yes, she looked up with curious brown eyes at the two men, when they arrived at the place where she was sitting restfully with her read. Herakles regarded his beloved as she rose gracefully.  
>"An acceptance?" she smiled and reached out with my hand. "My collegue has usually a good character judgement. Welcome aboard, Iapetionidês."<br>"I think you should know," Herakles said at that moment and nodded to their newest employe. And Prometheus didn't hesitate this second this time. With an open face and honest voice he told who he was and that he had come to the Academeia foremost to teach. To be a part of the divine society again and to see if he could still reach acceptance in spite of what had passed earlier.

O0O0O

"I know what you mean, father," Herakles looked at Zeus from across the table. Upon his brief return to Olympos he had told about the latest recruitment at the Academeia. Taken together how could he not? First of all it was a stirring piece if news, that Prometheus had returned from his self-chosen exile. Then Herakels thought his father had the right to know, even if it was none of his business really who Hebe and Herakles hired at her Academeia. Finally he just couldn't wait to see the reaction of his father when he told. Herakles had been the good boy at Olympos for so long, and now he guessed he wanted somehow to rebel a bit by hiring a man his father might not approve of.

"Do you?" Zeus rose a brow and rested his arms on the table, leaning forward slightly, his blue eyes locking with Herakles'.  
>"I'm certain I do. You're seldom the rancourous one. You rage a bit and then you get over it. Why should this be different."<br>"Herakles, you don't know the whole story, do you?"  
>"Hebe told most of it. How Prometheus thought he could teach the mortals how to handle divine fire. How he borrowed of Hestia's magnificent flames and brought them down to the town of Naimeda, and the disaster it caused. The devastating fires, the death toll, the burnt down crop fields and storage barns, people's lost homes."<br>"It was terrible enough, son," Zeus nodded his head. "But still it was just the grain to tip the scales. I had warned Prometheus earlier. Told him to not rush ahead, to not push the mortal society forward with such a frenzy as he was doing it."

"But is it wrong to teach mortals things?" Herakles asked although he knew his fathers's reply, and he was not surprised to see Zeus shake his head.  
>"No, teaching and guiding is one thing. Fixing all and everything for them without letting them think for themselves, is a completely different story. Because then you cripple people and make them dependent of you. They just do as told, end of story. On top of that, Prometheus was too eager, to hasty in both his decisions and his actions. I feared that if he didn't slow down the pace of the development, it risked running out of control and the mortal society would be bound for a disaster. Like a chariot tied to a bolting horse. Prometheys was – and is - an intelligent man, but what made him rush ahead so often without thinking was the one-sided competition he had taken up against me."<p>

"Did he want to take your position?" Herakles asked, suddenly worried. What if he had played his father's enemies in the hands, what if his actions would in any way endanger Zeus' station? But once again Zeus shook his head.  
>"No, I don't think that's what he had in mind. He didn't want to rule."<br>"But what did he want to achieve then?"  
>"He wanted popularity. He wanted to be the good guy with the humans. The one who said 'aye' when Zeus was the cruel one who said 'nay'."<p>

"Father? Are you mad at us for hiring him?" Herakles couldn't help asking.  
>"No, not in any way. It's completely up to you who you employ at the Academia, that's nothing I involve myself in. You and Hebe are doing a good job, and I think giving Prometheus something reasonable to do is going to benefit us all in the end."<br>"Yes, Hebe sent him to the Cyprus Academeia to give teaching a try, before we all made up our minds about Prometheus' future employment with us. I think she perhaps felt a bit insecure after learning who he was. But he's been doing excellent down there. He sure has a way with kids. And perhaps he has learned one or two things during the centuries since these fires."  
>"I hope you're right, lad," Zeus nodded his head. Then further discussions became interrupted by Selene and Hecate, who came storming into the sittingroom, upset at each other for something they apparently wanted Zeus to straighten out between them.<p>

O0O0O

Prometheus was lingering in the classroom after the pupils had left, staying to wipe off the blackboard and to make sure everything was in order and that none of the children had forgotten anything. And he was just beginning to stack up his books to put them down in the backpack when there was a soft knock on the doorframe, and he felt a divine presence. A presence he hadn't felt in centuries, but which he recogniced immediately in spite. And he felt how his stomach knotted itself at the recognition. Slowly he put the books back on the table again, and turned around.  
>"Zeus?"<br>"Yes, Prometheus, I must say I'm surprised at your sudden change of heart?"

"Because I refuse to stay hermit anymore?" Prometheus became slightly surprised at the anger in his voice, after all Zeus had sounded nothing but polite. He swallowed, ready to apologize while he regarded the man who was standing in the door opening. Zeus still looked like that magnificent and awe-inspiring appearance Prometheus first had seen back during the Titan wars. The vibrant and carismatic man, the one who just had to enter a room to grab each and everyone's attention. The brilliant and natural leader. It was no surprice that Zeus had become exactly that in the end, voted King of the Gods at the end of the Titan wars. It was not only because he was the one who had lead the gods against the tyrant Chronos and sent him down to Tartarus. It was because Zeus was a natural in the chief position. He had that certain something which made him so able. That certain something Prometheus once had envied him for more than anything.

But Zeus had changed as well. Over the centuries he seemed to have grown more mellow and mature. The warrior and the zestful fighter had turned into a more discerning nature. A rock steady and noble soul to hold on to when feeling lost and confused. He seemed less pushy and self-centered, the arrogance which had tainted his behaviour was gone. Now he regarded Prometheus as he was thinking the latter's foul mood over, before continuing.  
>"No," he said. "But because I'm surprised that you approached my youngest son and my adopted daughter. I thoght that you'd chose a more direct tangent, when you decided you were ready to move on with your life and stop behaving like I had chained you to that mountain edge."<br>"What do you mean, you expected me to storm Olympos or something?"  
>"Sort of. Or at least seeking some kind of audience."<p>

"You know what, Zeus?" Prometheus responded and took up his books once again, stacking them like he had planned to originally, before he finalized what he was going to say. "You've changed and so have I. Doesn't it occur to you that the – ehrm – mistakes – I made are… well in the past. That we both have moved on. I realized I screwed up. Big time. I have no exuses for doing what I did. It was unforgivable and these days I'm fully understanding that you were enraged and I don't try to excuse myself any more. I didn't forsee the consequences and for that I take all the blame. At the same time, it cannot be undone, no matter if we two behave like two old harpies, not letting go of old grudges. So doesn't it occur to you that I'm here and that I'm doing this because I like to teach? I have missed that. I have missed sharing knowledge and exchanging ideas. And I feel so glad that I finally dared to take this step for real."

"You're telling me you're content teaching children in a neat but small school in a rather insignificant corner of the world?" Zeus asked, sounding almost amused. "Am I to believe that?"  
>"Chose for yourself, Olympian. But rest asure I am not going to stir up any trouble."<br>"I do not think you will either. As you said we have both changed. Moved on. Learned a few things along the way. Including not being competitive for the wrong reasons. I'm willing to give you the credit for your bravery and your never ending flows of ideas as well. You did screw up, and I did fire you. But since you're working for my children now, I do feel it's due time to finally put the past behind us and move on into the future."

By those words Zeus took three long steps into the classroom and up to the desk where Prometheus was still figeting with his books, not really knowing what to say. Then Zeus reached out with his right hand, smiling slightly. Prometheus hesitated a heartbeat, but when regarding the honesty in the blue eyes of the king, he reached out with his hand as well and took it.  
>"You're right, Zeus," Prometheus said. "The future deserve that we both move on into it now. And I do intend to stay and teach, although not here but on Rhodos. Whatever that matters."<p>

O0O0O

So passed a bit more than half a year. Seven months during which Herakles and Hebe managed to keep their love affair covert. Hidden from everyone but Aphrodite, who in spite of Hebe's worries kept the secret. In fact Aphrodite didn't mention their affair even once. And just a few times did she give Hebe that quick glance which told the latter that they were both in on something no one else knew about - save for Herakles himself of course - and this made the women feel tied together in a special way. Not even Palaistra got to know what was really going on at Rhodos, although Hebe was convinced that her friend suspected something. And Hebe knew she would have to tell her friend eventually.

O0O0OO0O0O

_A/N Iapetionidês (Son of Iapetus) is another name for Prometheus and the myths tell about how Heracles liberated him from his punishment for the theft of fire and eventually Zeus forgave him and they reconciled. Upon including this myth I changed it a bit to fit it within my story._


	22. Through the grapevine

**Through the grapevine**

_**Priapos**__ was a garden god and mostly known for his large private parts. He was the son of Dionysos and Aphrodite._

No secret can remain forever. Sometimes the cover unfolds, often by mistake and a tiny bit of the secret slips out in the open. Slips out and awakens curiosity and thus entices people to pull at that piece, trying to uncover more of what's been hidden. Herakles got drunk one night at a party over at Dionysos' and when most people had left Dion and Herc started to talk about something more or less insignificant. Then, somehow, the drunk god told his half-brother about his devotion for Hebe. And Dionysos may be good at a lot of things, but keeping secrets was never really one of them. Soon he has told his young wife Ariadne. And not long after that he let the secret slip to both Athena and Hephaestos. Not out of malice but carelessness, as well as not really understanding that Herakles' confession was supposed to remain a secret. Or rather - Dionysos seldom thought before he talked, and often didn't grasp the consequences before it became too late.

Soon Ariadne asked Aphrodite who surprised asserted that she knew about the relation. And when the snow ball started to roll there was little to stop it. They could as well have rolled it down the Olympos mountain wall, creating an avalanche.

Hebe was hardly back from a quickie visit to Cyprus when Palaistra confronted her with the news, quite a bit sour that she had not been let in on the secret.  
>"I only told Aphrodite," Hebe replied to her friend. "And that was because she tricked me to it."<br>"Why not me? I thought..."  
>"Because I feared that my mother might know. And she's... Well I wanted to talk to her before she got to hear it from somewhere else. One doesn't exactly have to be Athena to figure out that mum would be quite upset if it travelled to her ears by other means."<br>"You know I can keep a secret, Hebe!" Palaistra said and looked hurt and almost angered.

"I'm sorry, Aistrie, but... We thought we could keep the secret a little bit longer. You know Herakles and I – we're not the expected match to say the least. And I still don't know how to explain it, but I was planning to tell you."  
>"When?"<br>"When I felt ready."  
>"And you didn't 'feel ready' to do that until I got to learn it elsewhere. What kind of buddy is that?"<br>"I said I was sorry!"  
>"Yeah you did, but..." Palaistra stopped right there and Hebe could tell that her friend's mind was working. Then she shrugged and sat down on the banister to the staircase landing with a sigh, regarding her hands.<br>"I'm sorry," Hebe repeated with a little voice.  
>"I guess it's fine, hon. After all it is hard to talk about these thing sometimes. They're... I remember when I and Priapos... Oh, he's really hung like a bull that man!" At that comment they both started to laugh and the bad feelings were gone as if they had never been there. Instead Palaistra wanted to know everything about how Herakles 'was'.<p>

0=0=0

Not long after that discussion it became Dionysos' newlywed wife Ariadne who came to have the real girls talk with Hebe. She began to help Hebe straightening things out for real. Ariadne with her honest and pretty face surrounded by light brown curls and pale, jade eyes. Ariadne who had ended up at Olympos in a really strange way. She had been a princess of Crete who betrayed her island out of love for the Athenian prince Theseus, and who fled together with him, only to become dumped at the island of Naxos halfway to Athens. If she had been left astern by mistake or on purpose was a bit hard to tell, the stories diverged there. Actually not even Ariadne herself knew what to believe.

The bittersweet love story might as well have ended there at Naxos, and it would have if it had been an Athenian play. However now it was real life and in real life the stories goes on even after the expected curtain fall. Thus - as a stroke of luck, Dionysos had stopped by on Naxos to spend the night in solitude to think things over - or so he had planned. Instead he found Ariadne sleeping in his favourite grass pit a bit away from the beach, an Ariadne who had cried herself to sleep. Dionysos had waken her out of curiosity and managed to lure her off her story and upon hearing that the god had felt so moved that he had decided to help this young princess. First he had planned to give her a ride to Athens and Theseus, and then he had decided that a man who left such a charming beauty behind was not in his right mind. So Dionysos had decided to 'keep' Ariadne, first as just another consort/lover and install her in one of his homes in the East.

Then he and Ariadne had got to know each other better and Dion had actually realized he had fallen madly in love with this girl. Remembering that his father owed him for the life of his mother Semele, Dion had talked Zeus into deificating Ariadne. A deification though was not an easy process at all for someone who wasn't even a demigod. Ariadne had a drip of divine blood in her from some ancestor far, far back in time, still that was all Zeus had needed for the mutation process. Nonetheless it wasn't easy. A month had it taken for Ariadne to become a goddess, a hard and tedious process both for Zeus and for Ariadne. And now she was sitting on a white marble bench opposite of Hebe in the Garden of Singing Fountains, listening to what the other goddess had to say about her and Herakles' love and how Hebe felt about spilling the beans about their relation to the rest of the mountaintop.

"It's Zeus," Hebe said and stared at her nails. "Mum I can handle all right. She'll know love in spite of not being that found of Herc. She'll yell and scream and call me things, but then she'll see reason. Zeus on the other hand, now that's quite a different story. He has never liked me. He consider me an anomaly, someone who shouldn't have had happened. In spite of his constant womanizing and all his stray kids he refused to accept me in the household. Not until mum threatened to leave him was I allowed to stay at Olympos instead of being sent away somewhere. "

"Hebe, that's not the Zeus I know." Ariadne replied. "Besides Herc's story is exactly like yours, only with opposite roles. He has a problem with Hera, while he thinks his father wouldn't really mind. I think both of you should ease up a bit. Go talk to Zeus and Hera. They both know love – as well as heartbreaks. When they have calmed down a bit I don't think they'll really mind."  
>"Then you don't know them well. Ari, you've been here a year. And it's been a lucky year. You haven't seen Zeus' wrath yet. That's nothing you want to be the receiver of, I assure you."<p>

"And you have been that?"  
>"Yes. Several times. That he dislikes me is an understatement."<br>"Oh come on! Dion told me how worried Zeus was when you became kidnapped earlier this year."  
>"That was because he was worried about the reputation of Olympos, not me. He was concerned that if I was not liberated and returned to the pantheon all the other gods in other parts of the world would consider Olympos weak and unable to defend herself and take care of her own. To keep its stand as the major pantheon, Olympos can never show weakness. "<br>"I don't think it's all about that. I think Zeus cares in his own special way. You just have to let him show that."

"How can I ever do such a thing?"  
>"Talk to him, Hebe! Give him a chance to be a part of your life instead of just pretending he's not there. "<br>"I'm not sure... It'll work... that way..."  
>"Well, you can't ever know if you never try. And besides what do you have to lose?" Ariadne added and looked almost sternly at Hebe.<p>

0=0=0

Meanwhile Herakles found himself talking to Ares and Dionysos. And as often with men it became more direct. Herakles and Hebe had just returned from Rhodos and Ares wanted someone to spar with, so he came to Herakles and asked if he was in for some sword game. Herakles could hardly think of anything better, was it something he had missed at Rhodos it was the fencing. Most people on the island were more or less pacifistic and knew next to nothing about the martial arts and neither were they interested in learning. So Herakles had to be content with his and Hebe's little games and some odd children who wanted to be taught fencing or boxing from the Great Hero. And no matter how much he loved Hebe she was still a rookie in the dojo, no challenge. Nothing like the invigorating battles he could have with Ares.

Thus he gladly came down to the arena where the god of war was waiting in the middle of the sand plain. He was naked save for a loincloth, after all they were gods fighting with iron blades, no need for arms, the only wounds they might get would be superficial and heal within seconds. Herakles wore the same and he greeted his older brother with a grin and a hand-high-in-the-air salute and then they took up their swords and started to circle around each other in the sun-hot sand, looking for openings.

Seen from afar the two gods almost looked like they were dancing, one bronze coloured tall and wiry man with raven hair tied up in a knot at the top of his head and another paler and freckled, half a head shorter, more muscular and with his slightly shorter blond curls tied back with a gray leather bandana. Both men carried themselves with the grace that came with long training and a security of knowing the drill in and out. When they engaged their blades were crossing like lightnings, flashing in the sun and clashing against each other with unmistakable ringing and grinding sounds. These sounds drew curious spectators from all over. Other gods as well as servant nymphs, centaurs and satyrs. Some betting was going on and the nymphs were all drooling over the handsome gods.

After about twenty sweaty minutes in the burning sun Ares blocked Herakles' blade and stepped in closer. He grabbed his half-brother's wrist in an iron grip that usually became the start of a twisting throw to the ground. But no twist came, which surprised Herakles a bit. Instead Ares made eye contact with his brother while remaining almost frozen in his position.  
>"Herakles" he said. It rung unusual since he seldom used any other than Herc's nickname. In response Herakles raised his brows a bit. "Do you mean business with Hebe?" Ares went on, dark eyes smoldering like hot coal.<br>"I do" Herakles replied, wrung his arm out of Ares' grip and stepped back three feet.

More fencing from two arm's length. Then Ares stepped close once more:  
>"Then do something about it. Now. The whole Olympos is filled with juicy gossip and it benefits no one if it doesn't come out in the open."<br>"Ares, Hera will have my guts." The son of Alkmene blocked the war god's riposte.  
>"No she won't."<p>

The two gods regarded each other across the crossed blades. Ares' intense look seemed to burn into Herakles.

"I've never trusted Hera." Herakles told, feeling the sweat trickling down his neck and starting to dry.  
>"Why?"<br>"She's been at my back the whole life. Always been trying to hold me back, denying me my rightful place in the world. You know I could have had Tyndareus' place as a king if it wasn't for her."  
>"Would you have wanted that then?" Ares asked and Herakles had to admit that he didn't. Not when he gave it a thought. He was an outdoors person; he would feel confined in a throne room. He tried a riposte that would fool any other man or god, but Ares saw right through it and parried swiftly.<p>

"So what do you think she'll do if I tell her about my feelings for her precious daughter? Would you be surprised if she did all in her might to hinder our relation?"  
>"My mother is not like that. As much as she hates father's missteps she doesn't blame the offspring for them. That's another mortal misconception. I happen to know about those snakes for instance."<br>"What snakes?"  
>"The ones you killed as a toddler. Hera didn't send them. She just watched them appear, and planned to save you, hadn't you beaten her to it and taken the matter in your own hands. Then she was convinced that you were father's son and she went home and dealt with him."<p>

Then Ares surprised Herakles with a quick sweep of his weapon which knocked the sword out of Herakles' hand. The next second he placed the tip of his blade at the throat of his half-brother:  
>"You lose! And if you're not content with taking a certain other snake in your own hands, I suggest you instead take Hebe's hand and propose. Make it official!"<p>

Herakles backed off slightly, blinking his eyes. Then he rushed Ares, and this time it was the war god who became taken aback. A surprise, which Herakles quickly took advantage of by wrestling his opponent to the ground, placing him belly down in the sand with right hand bent over the back and a knee between the shoulder blades. From that position Herakles bent down over Ares and said with a low voice:  
>"I will consider your advice."<p>

Ares rolled around, forcing Herakles to lose his grip:  
>"Considering is not enough, brother." Ares jumped back in standing position and brushed sand from his hard abs. "Hebe needs the real thing. She needs a man who treats her as a lady, not as a pastime. But I guess you know that too by now."<p>

0=0=0

Dionysos was less violent but no less persuasive. He simply filled up Herakles' cup and told him:  
>"We're going to fix this, man. Together. I know what it means to love. My sweet Ariadne is the light of my life; I could never be without her. And, big guy, if you only feel half the way I do, then you know what you have to do. And let neither father nor Hera stand in your way."<br>"Dion," Herakles said and drank from his cup. "It's not just me. Hebe fears Zeus' reactions just as much as I'm uncomfortable with what Hera might say or do."  
>"Hercyboy, Hercyboy," Dionysos tut-tuted and filled even more wine in that cup. Then he filled some for himself before laying an arm around Herakles: "We're gonna fix that you know. We're gonna talk to them big bosses. Make them understand."<p>

"And who exactly are 'we' in this case?" Herakles asked, bemusement mixed with worry.  
>"Are Ariadne and I. And Aphrie, Athi and Hermes."<br>"Athena?"  
>"You bet!"<br>"She's not exactly a love goddess."  
>"Well neither am I, boy. Nether am I! I'm just a party animal who knows woomba woomba but zilch about who might be good together at doin' it. For that we'll need Aphrie and her Eros. But Athi'll be there talking to papa, she sure will. She has a plan, see. Told me just today."<br>"What plan?"  
>"She didn't say, boy. But doesn't she always have a plan, the sweet Athena? She said tomorrow we hafta be in papa's office. And you know, Hercyboy, if anyone can talk to both Zeus and Hera, she's the one. Now, c'mon boy'o, let's drink to that!"<p>

0=0=0

Hebe was hanging up lanterns with divine light to chase away the early darkness of the November evening, when Herakles sneaked up upon her from behind and tickled her waist. The surprise made Hebe jumping up in the air with an Oh-ing sound. Then she giggled and turned around:  
>"How did you do that, hiding your aura?"<br>"Trick Hermes taught me. By the way Athena has a plan."  
>"Hasn't she always?"<br>"True but this one is about us."  
>"Us, how?"<br>"She - and the others - they want to help us talking to dad and Hera."

"How... do they propose to do that?" Hebe wrinkled her brow as she let the last lantern hang unsuspended in the air, as if she had forgotten about it. The blue light flickered across her thoughtful face as she faced her beloved, chewing her lower lip. She had some glitter in her hair and it twinkled faintly, making her even more alluring to Herakles' eyes.  
>"They'll talk about us and about love. And life and everything. Aphrie is coming too. Apparently Athena has enlisted those she believes can work the magic upon both dad and Hera."<p>

"Together?"  
>"No, I think we're going to talk to dad first and then later to Hera."<br>"When she's back from Argos?"  
>"Before that. We're going there later. That's Athena's plan. You think it'll work, dearest?"<p>

Hebe looked Herakles firmly in her eyes.  
>"Herc, as you said, it's Athena's plan. They usually work. Still - I'm kinda nervous. Not with mum but... Zeus... I hope he won't be too furious."<br>"Sweetheart!" Gently Herakles stroke her over her cheek. "As you said, it's Athena's plan. And beside perhaps Hera and Poseidon she's probably the one who know my father best. She knows which buttons to push. Trust Athena. It won't be a walk in the park, of that much am I certain, but she'll pull it off."

Hebe sighed and closed her eyes for a few moments, as Herakles words hang in silence. Then Hebe seemed to remember her lantern, and with a slight gesture of her right hand she lifted the lamp up in the air and connected it to its hook in the ceiling. There it would burn as long as Hebe felt like it, which would probably be until she went to bed. Unlike Hestia Hebe had never learned to burn light in her sleep. In fact very few mastered that unusual art. Hebe snuggled up against Herakles' torso and leaned her head towards him, circling her arms around his strong chest.  
>"Yeah, I do trust Athena," she said. "Her and Aphrodite. With them on our side it'll be easier. Still, you're right, it won't get easy. Neither Zeus nor Hera will like it. Nevertheless I don't care. You're the one who's important now, Herakles. I love you."<br>"As I love you, Hebe!"

0=0=0

No, Zeus wasn't happy about the development, that much was sure. On the other hand he wasn't furious either. He just looked at Herakles and Hebe who stood together in his office. They in turn were facing the king of the gods who was sitting on the other side of his magnificent, gold and ebony inlaid ivory desk. He seemed to regard them with the look of someone who didn't know if he was going to condemn what they saw or sample it as a curiosity. That made at least Hebe feel like some kind of freak, and she was glad that they were not alone in here with Zeus. A bit off to the side stood Dionysos, Ariadne, Athena, Hermes, Palaistra and Aphrodite, all there for moral support. The only one really missing was Ares, but he was off warring somewhere and besides these things weren't exactly his talent.

Ares' support was at the same time the most surprising and interesting. First he had been furious at Herakles for flirting with his half-sister, but when he understood that Herakles meant business and wasn't going to back off no matter what Zeus or Hera said, Ares had changed his opinion, and now he seemed to hold both Hebe and Herakles in higher regard. After all Ares had always liked fighters, especially those who went up against seemingly impossible odds. Like trying to sway Zeus for instance.

"Now, how did this happen?" Zeus asked, looking at the two lovers with curious blue eyes. Hebe was clutching her lover's hand, staring down at her sandals. Herakles was facing his dad though, and found that there was really nothing to fear there. Zeus were more surprised and bemused, recalling Hebe's unfriendliness towards his son when he had arrived at Olympos almost fourteen years ago.  
>"Just like most love, it just happened," Herakles replied boldly.<br>"Do you have a finger in this?" Zeus turned to Aphrodite.

"No." The goddess of love shook her head, blonde curls bobbing. "I had no idea this has been going on. I was trying to patch it up with Hephaestos, and it took all my time and effort. So I wasn't looking to help others. "  
>"Perhaps it was Eros playing pranks again," Hermes suggested.<br>"Might be," Aphrodite nodded.

"Never mind whose deed it was," Zeus said and folded his hands. "You two have obviously found each other, what an irony! And I don't intend to stand in your way, but I will be honest with you here today. First of all, Hebe, I was far from happy learning that the daughter I had hoped for had another father. It is not your fault and I guessed I took out some of my anger at your mother on you in the past. I know you dislike me. But can we at least behave civilized towards each other? That would gain us both a lot. "

At the words of Zeus Hebe finally looked up and breathed in. Boldly she faced her step father. What she was going to say now was not easy but it had to be said:  
>"But you betrayed mother. Several times. Why do you expect to be treated differently?"<p>

"My betrayals gave you Herakles, that's all I intend to say here today in this matter," Zeus avoided the subject. Then he turned to his son: "Herakles, you have a history with women which is far from benign. Deianeira, Megara, Hippolythia - you know the list. But now you are together with a goddess – a daughter of Queen Hera. Don't mistreat this young lady or Hera's wrath will be even worse than what you've seen so far. And this time I won't be there to help you out!"

"I promise," Herakles confirmed. "I mean Hebe no harm. I can swear by Styx if necessary."  
>"No need for that," Zeus cut him off. "Finally – you both will have to deal with Hera too. And I promise you that talking with me here this morning was a piece of cake compared to what you will face from the queen. She's still not over your apotheosis, Herakles."<p>

"Father," In the corner of her eyes Hebe noted Athena stepping forward. "You're right about Hera. Honestly I think Herc and Hebe need some help here. "  
>"Why? They could handle me all right. "<br>"We would have helped them if they hadn't." Athena said and Aphrodite let up an agreeing sound.  
>"We don't want to see them unhappy because of their love," the latter filled in.<br>"I should have known," Zeus smiled. "You are all a sweet bunch. So how are you going to deal with Hera, have you thought about that?"

"I have an idea," Athena began. "I'll go with Hebe and Herc and..."  
>"Not you young lady," Zeus stated firmly.<br>"Why?"  
>"Because as soon as Hera sees you she's going to smell the plot," Zeus told and then his blue eyes darted to the right. "Better sending someone who's not that known for scheming as Athena or Hermes. How about you Dionysos of the honest face?"<br>"Why, me?" Dion asked with a hesitant voice. "I'm not sure I'm up to anything like that."  
>"Because if you come Hera would expect nothing. Especially not if you drink with her a while first."<br>"Perhaps," Dion said. "I've done it before. With Heph among others. But not with Hera. She's... She's a bit too smart. Even with my wine inside of her. "

"Zeus, why are you helping us?" Hebe asked frankly. "Since I can tell that you aren't too fond of our union. If you want to use us to set up mum I'm not sure I want to..."  
>"Don't let her get in the way of us!" Herakles exclaimed.<br>"No, but..."  
>"Because I want harmony in my house." Zeus replied. "Most of all, I want Hera to be smoothed up a bit mostly for her own sake. I hate to see her upset. I believe that when she gets the chance to think over the situation she'll be more relaxed about it. Now, don't you think so, Hebe?"<p>

Hebe sighed, she felt as if she was walking on thin ice as she faced Zeus. She hardly wanted to admit it to herself but the great King of the Gods still scared her, although she was a good deal past sixty now. Those piercing blue eyes, they could be so intimidating, and now they appeared to be looking right inside her soul, aiming to fold up layers of secrets and to find out if she really meant business with his beloved son.  
>"You're right, Zeus." she almost whispered "And I will behave civilised, I promise."<br>"So are you doing this, Dion?" Zeus turned to his other son again.  
>"I..." Dion hesitated again, but then Athena marched up to him and grabbed him by the arm:<br>"Little brother, you love your wife to pieces, and you two are so lucky," she said and nodded to Ariadne at Dionysos' other arm. "Now if you want to help Herakles and Hebe who feel the same way you come with me. I'll tell you my plan on the way. Then you, Hebe and Herakles will arrive at the right moment. "

Aphrodite began to take a step forward, but Athena held up a hand:  
>"Aphrie, you'll be as suspected as I in this case, since you're the goddess of love. You better stay at Olympos. As will the rest of you. Come, Dion!"<p>

By those words Athena had taken Dionysos and Ariadne under one arm each and escorted them out of Zeus' office. Hebe glanced with a kind of worried feel after them. There was no doubt that Athena was up to another of her master plans. Usually they worked. Whatever, this time she was not dealing with some dumb chthonian or arrogant eastern dessert-god. This time she was dealing with Hera herself, and the queen of the gods was almost as slick as Athena and would not be fooled that easily. So if something went wrong along the way and Athena's plan backfired she could almost do more damage than if Hebe and Herakles had been as straightforward as with Zeus and gone right away talking to Hebe's mother. After all Ariadne had been right. Hera knew love and she knew that it sometimes stroke blindly. (And that it every now and then was a result of that prankster Eros and his hormone-filled arrows.)

Zeus seemed to echo Hebe's worries:  
>"I hope she knows what she's doing the dear child." he said and looked at Hebe and Herakles. "If Hera finds that she too has been tricked I don't know what..."<br>"We didn't trick you, Zeus," Aphrodite said. "We just pawed the way a bit for these lovebirds."

Zeus actually laughed at that. Then he changed subject, and put on his business face:  
>"Now when I got a handful of you here, I better take advantage of it and ask for some help. Are some of you interested in going down to the mortal world and..."<p>

0=0=0

Hermes and Palaistra had run off on Zeus' errant. As always. After all those gods were fast in both body and mind and were a cut above the rest when it came to quickies among the mortals. They could go anywhere and deliver messages from the Great God in a jiffy and they knew just how to put their words to have their receivers listening and obeying. At the same time Herakles and Hebe walked hand in hand down the magnificent Grand Staircase of the Palace of Zeus.  
>"That went smoother than I would have hoped." Herakles smiled. "Don't you think so too, honey-pie?"<br>"I'm not so sure about that..." Hebe said. Then she stopped at a landing and pulled at Herakles, had him stop too.  
>"He sure wasn't happy."<p>

Obvious to whom 'he' was Herakles let go of the hand of his beloved and laid his large palms upon her shoulders instead, looking deep into her dark eyes:  
>"Hebe, you'll have to give him time. My father's not a brute. He may sound harsh from time to time but he's a kind and sensitive man. Just give him a chance, Hebe."<br>"That's just what Ariadne said. But he never gave me a chance."  
>"Hebe..."<br>"But I don't give a damn. YOU Herakles are the one who's important to me. Who's mind matters. Not Zeus."

Then Hebe turned and started down the stairs, making it very clear that the discussion was over. Herakles shrugged. He had foreseen a reaction like this with his girlfriend. Then again, wasn't he the one who nurtured the same doubts when it came to Hera? As a consequence he was really glad that Athena had volunteered to give him a hand in the dealings with his mother-in-law-to-be. If someone had told him just a year ago that he would find himself in this very situation he wouldn't have believed that for a second.

He grabbed Hebe and she turned with wrinkled brows, convinced that he was going to continue the argument, but instead he pulled her close and kissed her eagerly and wild, pushed his hands through her hair, tearing off at least two of those pearls she had decorated her hairdo with that day. Hebe could hear them clic-clic-cloc-drrrr down the marble stairs but she didn't care at the moment. She kissed her beloved back with the savage, animalized passion of one who had been on the edge for quite some time and finally got a chance to relax, to let go of the strain in her mind and return to more basic needs.

Herakles was wearing an armless, orange tunic of the kind with very large openings for the arms, and Hebe used those holes to slip in her hands and to feel his burly back, to touch, stroke and finger him all over. To feel his warmth as her tongue chased his, as her mind was racing and her body heated up, busting with hormones and desires. Desires to never stop this, to go on forever and ever, until the stars fell out of the sky. Desire to claim this miracle man and never let him go. Because she loved Herakles, she loved him so very much and then all the others and their opinions could go down to Tartarus.

Well no - most of them had blessed their loving. Aphrodite, Palaistra, Ares, Hermes, Dionysos, Athena, Ariadne... They were all on their side, supporting them. They had all offered helping hands, and for that Hebe would bless them eternally.


	23. Hera Speaks

**Hera speaks**

"This is how it will work", Athena began and sat down opposite of Herakles and Hebe in the latter's living room. It was raining hard outside and a large fire was burning in the hearth to chase away the autumn chill. Hebe had just learned to make multicoloured fire, and now blue, red, yellow, green and purple flames were splashing its light across the cozy room, gleaming in items of copper and brass. It was odd, just a few days back the Indian summer had been in full swing, and now it was definitely autumn with cold weather sweeping down from the north. Zeus was apparently too busy to do anything about it and besides the rains were much needed.

"Dion is going down to Argos to talk to Hera and I will accompany him in disguise to make sure he'll do fine - which I have no doubts he will," Athena went on. "I've told him roughly what to say to Hera. No speech, just some ideas to ad-lib on. That'll make it sound more convincing and from the heart. When he's done I'll..."  
>"So you ARE setting up mother after all?" Hebe said with an edge in her voice and folded out her feet from under her on the coach, almost as if she was starting up to leave. It wasn't the external chill that was bothering her as much as the feeling inside.<br>"Yeah - but just a tiny bit. Dion is tricking her into listening, that's all. Listening and thinking. I would never be able to do so myself, because just as dad said, Hera would be more guarded against me. Then Dion is bringing some wine too, and that'll help Hera relax."

"Athena, I don't want to be part of any dirty tricks." Hebe locked eyes with her step sister.  
>"I know you care about your mother, sweetie," Athena responded and leaned over and laid an arm over Hebe's slender shoulders. "We all do care about our mothers after all. And I love Hera; she's one of my best friends. But I care about you and Herakles too, and we're just helping Hera understand that the two of you need each other. A benevolent set up if you might say so!"<br>"She's right, honey," Herakles chimed in. "Although I'm still a bit edgy."  
>"Herc, as soon as Hera has softened up a bit she'll be able to digest the concept of the two of you being together. And then she may ask for the two of you, or else Dion will ask her to see you, so you'll have to go to her in Argos within perhaps an hour."<p>

Now it was Herakles' turn to feel a bit uncomfortable.  
>"Is that necessary?" he asked his sister.<br>"You'll have to be social with Hera sooner or later, Herc."  
>"But going to Argos..."<br>"Yeah, little brother, since that's where Hera is right at the moment and if this is going to work we cannot drag it out too long by waiting for Hera to come back home. It's all about the element of surprise!"  
>"You're planning this like a war campaign, sister!"<br>"In a way it's very similar. You know 'in love and war' and all those proverbs. Now chill down, Hera don't bite."

"All right." Herakles said and sighed, taking Hebe's hand. "In love as in war... Your advices have been helpful to me so far, Athena. I guess I'll just have to trust you in this case too."  
>"Thank you little bro'," Athena made a mocking bow in the direction of Herakles. "Now we'll have to go, Dion and I, and as soon as it's time for your entrance, we'll let you know. So you better go readying yourself."<p>

O0O0O

After Athena had left it didn't take more than half an hour before Herakles and Hebe were asked to come to Argos. All they got the time to do was changing clothes and doing some peep talk. Convincing themselves as well as each other that Athena's plan would work out. Then they went out in the rain, and these days they were so familiar with each other's auras that they could share one single shield against the cold downpour. It felt like flying in a soap bubble, Hebe thought. Inside it was warm and nice, heated by the flame of divine fire Herakles carried in his left hand, while rain was streaming down across the force orbital field, distorting reality around them.

Argos wasn't far away; it took them less than five minutes to get there. And in spite of the rain torrent the town was a lovely sight, where it was located at the innermost point of the Argos sound, a town with pastel coloured houses with toppy roofs, towers and spires. There were boats from all over the world in the harbour and lot of activity going on, the area full of people, horses, cattle and goods. But in the upper part of the town there weren't many people around, the rain had discouraged most inhibitors and sent them indoors. The taverns' outdoor eating areas were empty with chairs upside-down on the tables and annoyed cats sitting beneath them waiting out the bad weather. The shops had brought in the goods that normally crowded the sides of the streets.

Water sang in the gutters and washed away litter and fallen leaves and the cobblestones looked slippery and unsecure, so the two Olympians waited with landing until they reached the courtyard of Hera's residence. A pity, Hebe thought, on days with better weather it was always wonderful to land down by the harbour and disguised as a mortal climb all those steep and narrow alleys up to the divine residence, checking out the people and avoiding the persistent salesmen who always were trying to convince her that she needed their pottery, jewellery, scarves and other knick-knack. Once she had thought so as well and thus filled her place with all kinds of things, but these days the only thing she really needed were honey-toasted almonds. That store was closed today too, but some other day, she told herself, she was going to bring Herakles there and have him taste the goodies too.

When they were admitted into Hera's local residence and entered the living room where another colourful fire was burning, they were received by both by the Divine Queen and Herakles' brother Dionysos. The latter stood and kissed Hebe elegantly on her hand, something he had never done before and Hebe almost blushed. He must've been inspired by Apollo, she thought. The elegant son of Leto was always into these graceful gestures. And Hera welcomed them politely if not really heartily, offering the mandatory wine and honey candies. She regarded Herakles with a curious look in her large brown eyes, almost as if she had never seen him before. Herakles looked back, and once again it hit him how much alike she and his beloved were in looks. Same large, dark eyes, same full lips and perfect little nose. The only thing which really differed was their hair colours. It felt almost weird that he could love the redhead and despise the brunette.

"So here you are, finally coming forward," Hera said after the mandatory pleasantries. "To be true, I have known about this for a long time, I was only biding my time wondering where and when the two of you would find courage to face me."  
>"I - how..." Hebe staggered. "Who told you?" She was on the brink of saying Aphrodite but she didn't want to give the goddess away if it hadn't been her.<br>"Honey, I have known you since you were just a lump of cells in my belly. I know when you are up to something; it shows in your aura, your eyes and your body language. These last months you have been shining like a morning star. And Herakles has been with you at Rhodos for I don't know how much longer than what should be necessary. So dearest daughter, it didn't take me long to figure out what was going on."  
>"So why didn't you..."<br>"...Say anything?" Hera smiled a skewed smile. "Because I felt it was your call. You should confront me when you felt ready, not the other way around. Then I almost suspected you would need an ambassador, rather than coming forwards on your own first. I was only surprised it was Dion, I had assumed Athena or Aphrodite."

"...kay..." Hebe bit her lip. Her mother had understood more than anyone could imagine. Zeus was right; Hera was slick and smart, and not easily fooled. And now the queen turned to Herakles:  
>"And you young man - you've been a pain in my eye for years and years, a constant reminder that Zeus betrayed me even after giving his words yet another time. But do always remember this Herakles! I do not blame you. It wasn't your fault since no one picks their parents. I blame Zeus, your presence just made me sad. But there's one thing I want you to know. If you don't take care of Hebe the way a man should do with his woman, if you betray her or mistreat her, then you will pay severely for your deeds. That's not a threat, son of Zeus, or even a warning, that's just a statement of fact."<p>

Herakles bit back the angered words he felt taking shape upon his tongue and instead he looked Hera firmly in those brown eyes:  
>"Milady, I am fully aware of what you might do, and if I mistreat Hebe you will be in your full right to act upon it too. But I do not intend to harm, betray or even sadden my dearest Hebe. I love her with my whole heart and soul and I would rather cut off my right arm than to see anything happen to her."<br>"Which will just grow back out again within a few days, and you know it," Hera pointed out, not without mirth in her voice.  
>"Hera, I'd fight a whole mountain of ogres for her. Actually - already been there, done that! With the help of Athena, Ares and Nemesis of course, but that's what a warrior do. He seldom runs ahead on his own no matter what the bards sing. He knows that team work is the key to winning."<p>

"Nice speech," Hera said. "Yes, I do believe you, Herakles. And if there ever was a hatchet between you and me I think we should bury it now. Deep down underground." The queen stopped scratching the peacock male which rested lovingly in her lap and then she reached out her slender hand. Herakles took it without hesitation which surprised him. And it too felt like Hebe's. Same warmth, same texture, it was nearly scary and he almost had to pinch himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming.  
>"'If there ever was a hatchet'," Herakles couldn't help smiling. "I like that. Thanks Hera."<br>"Don't thank me yet. There's one more thing to be done." Hera said and looked firmly upon the couple.  
>"What?" Hebe asked and sipped on her heated wine.<br>"Zeus. Or do the two of you really think that the mighty king is going to appreciate that one of his treasured sons marry my bastard babe?"

Hera's voice was dripping with sarcasm when she said that, and both Hebe and Herakles had a hard time not telling that Zeus did already know. But they had promised Athena to keep that a secret for the time being. That was for some reason a part of the grey eyed goddess' plan and Hebe felt that she had lost track on who was really setting up whom here. She just hoped that she and Herakles would make it out on the winning side. Now Hera turned her attention to the older one of the two sons of Zeus:

"I appreciate what you have done for my daughter, Dionysos. If you support me against Zeus in this case I'm going to grant you a wish. Zeus gave you your Ariadne last year. I can do as well as that. Or even better."  
>"Really?" The god of wine raised an eye-brow.<br>"I know you believe I was the one behind your mother's death. That's only partially true. I just wanted the poor thing to know who she really was sleeping with. That she was as betrayed as I had been all the time. I was devastated by Zeus' treachery, and I felt hurt and rejected. I wanted his love back and I thought that with Semele gone..."

"But you have his love," Dionysos pointed out.  
>"I know that. These days. I know he will never be faithful to me, but he loves me in spite. He even accepted little Hebe in the household because he was so scared of losing me. All the same, I'll give you Semele back."<br>"How's that going to happen?" Hebe asked looking from her mother to Dion and then back again.

"I'll show you how to enter the Hades, to get past Styx and the monster Cerberos. And I'll tell you what to say to Hades and how to get Persephone on your side. She's the key; she holds Hades' heart in her hands. He's so scared of losing her. Remember Eurydice. Although you're going to have to do a lot better than poor Orpheus, and I know you can do that. "  
>"And then?"<br>"Persephone will lead you to Semele and you will bring her back up."

"But can you make her immortal?"  
>"No, only Zeus can do that. That's why we have to trick him. We'll have to change Semele's identity upon arriving up. "<br>"Now what is this?" Herakles asked. "Are you trying to set up my father somehow?"  
>"No, only distract him, so he won't bother with you two. I will claim Semele a special priestess of mine, who has the borderline magic needed at Olympos. He will agree upon making her immortal for two reasons."<br>"Which are?" Dionysos asked.  
>"He owes me a favour plus he will want her."<p>

"How do you know that, mother?"  
>"I know him all too well, Hebe. She's just his kind. After all he wanted her once. Her beauty is preserved down under so for Zeus she will be a wonderful enigma. Too hard for him to resist. And slightly familiar. Now, let's get to work! I'll send Dionysos down to fetch Semele," Hera lifted down that bird and rose, and so did the other three.<p>

At that moment Hebe understood what her mother was going to do. Hera was one of the very few in the whole wide world who could open a random gate directly down to the Hades and send anyone in. Zeus and Hermes could do that too while Hebe knew that both Athena and Apollo had tried but failed. Persephone used a special gateway Hades had helped her to set up and she was only using it herself, never bringing anyone else through it, which would in fact be impossible.

Then it hit her: Herakles had brought up Cerberos from the Hades. How the chaos had he managed to do that? She must ask him, she figured. But not now. Hera was giving them a short recap of what she was planning to do and that they would have to go outside, because this residence was protected by a certain magic field which made it almost impossible to open portals.  
>"To keep the wrong guys out," Hebe's mother told. "This means that to have the field remaining intact I mustn't open portals from the inside either, or it'll take too much time and energy to keep it in shape."<p>

Hera conjured up a box of ambrosia and a knife and cut off a large slice for Dion.  
>"Eat it all, you'll need the vigour for your travel. It's energy consuming to trip down under." Then she took a quite smaller bit for herself and washed it down with water. Hebe was glad she and Herc wasn't going, she hated the substance.<p>

O0O0O

Athena and Hermes found Apollo out in the main palace foyer where he stood banging his forehead against one of the marble pillars so shards of the stone were flying all around.  
>"I Am Such An I-Di-Ot," the goddess of music and prophecy gritted between his teeth.<br>"So what else is not new?" Hermes scorned which made his big brother stop his outlandish antics and instead reach for the messenger god, grabbing him by the chiton, firing off profanities at him. And Hermes laughed as he wriggled like a maggot trying to get away.  
>"Now what?" Athena asked and Apollo let go of Hermes and looking at his sister instead, not bothering with how the former was stumbling backwards with a yelp and almost falling upon his butt:<br>"I didn't see it coming. Hebe and Herakles that is. The signs were there but I didn't see them, I was just so dumbfounded. Never expected it to happen."

"No, who did, really?" Athena said. "You remember the first years, how those two were at each other's throats almost constantly."  
>"Well that's usually the beginning of love after all," Hermes smiled and looking like a rascal. "Brawling and then falling!"<br>"But they were so – it was so unexpected. What do you think dad and Hera'll say?" Apollo pondered.  
>"You'll see," Athena smiled.<br>"You up to something again, sis?" Apollo raised a brow as he recognized that smug look upon his sister's face.

"You bet she is," Hermes smirked.  
>"So you're in on this too," Apollo turned his head to Hermes.<br>"You bet I am," his younger brother smirked.  
>"You're such a rascal!" Apollo huffed.<br>"So what else is not new?" Athena said.

O0O0O

"Hera!" the watcher exclaimed while regarding the quartet of Olympians marching up on a steep rock a bit outside Argos. The queen of the Gods! Now she would be a great trophy, sure worth all the disconsolate waiting. The watcher grinned. Now it was finally time to act!

O0O0O

"Here is the place where you will enter the Hades," Hera painted strange symbols on the rock overlooking storming waters some hundred metres down. Translucent crimson and yellow paste, A triangle surrounded by a circle surrounded by a square. And around the geometric figures she painted numbers and signs.  
>"What will this do?" Dion asked her.<br>"They're formulae of quantum magic. Upon chanting them, your divine powers will unfold the dimensions; open up an interconnection to the worlds we so mundanely refer to as 'Down under' or simply 'The Hades', even if Hades' kingdom is only a fragment of that vastness."

"So I just - sing?"  
>"Yes."<br>"How - what melody?"  
>"Whatever comes to your mind, that's not really important? What matters is that you take those words in your mouth because they will open up patterns in your brain that makes it possible for you to traverse the dimensions."<br>"But I don't know them. I don't understand the Old Language."  
>"That doesn't matter either, now come on here and stand in the middle of the triangle!" Hera put her arm on her stepson's back and guided him into the middle of the pattern she had drawn.<p>

As Hebe and Herakles watched, hand in hand, Dionysos started to chant those words of the Old Language, first hesitant then with a stronger and clearer voice, almost as confident as if he was singing one of his own drinking songs. First nothing happened but the rain, but then it felt almost like the air was filled with static. Yet it wasn't electricity, but a very similar form of energy: nuclear level magic.

Pinkish flares could soon be seen surrounding Dion and the air bulged around him like a lens. Then reality cracked, opening up a fissure glowing with a nameless colour in front of the god. Hebe gasped for breath as the gap widened, and smaller cracks began to surround it, more pink flames, sparkles and flares flying from it in all directions. It sure looked scary. Was that - the Hades?

"Go in there!" Hera urged Dion. "Now! Or we will miss this opportunity window and have to start all over again."  
>Dion seemed to hesitate, and then he took one, two, three steps and disappeared inside the gap which sealed itself behind him almost instantly.<br>"That's it," Hera said. "He's on his way doing what destiny requires of him. Now I just need to clean up here and we can go back and have a much needed dinner."

When Hera has said 'clean up' Hebe first thought she meant the magic symbols on the ground but her mother didn't care the slightest about those. That was probably because they were of no use for anyone else; the mortals for instance wouldn't even understand them. Beside the rain would probably wash away most of it. No, what Hera meant was the pink flares which still were fizzing around in the air. The queen of gods simply bent back a bit, opened up her arms and absorbed all the energies inside of her. For her it was no risk at all, she had the power to transform these energies into usable calories.

"What destiny requires? How do you mean, Hera?" Herakles asked when the queen was done.  
>"He has to save his mother. She died giving birth to Dion, although she wasn't supposed to pass away. She was supposed to have undergone apotheosis instead, since she had enough immortal genes in her body. But something went wrong and she died. That created a kind of rupture in the universe which could eventually have become dangerous. The only way to fix that was to send the son after his mother."<br>"So it was supposed to happen?" Hebe asked. "But where do we come into this picture? Herakles and I?"  
>"Nowhere really," her mother smiled. "But I felt that I could take advantage of this little 'need-to-be-done' to benefit myself and my daughter."<p>

Herakles looked at the orange clad queen. Yes, his father had been right. Hera was slick. Extremely slick! And that made him realize one more thing. If Hera had really cared about his apotheosis and refused to let him inside Olympos he would never have gotten there.


	24. Porphyrion

**Porphyrion**

"How long will it take 'till Dionysos returns?" Herakles asked and Hera shook her head slightly while wrinkling her brow.  
>"Impossible to tell, since time runs differently down under," she replied. "He might be here any minute, then it might as well take days. It all depends on which way down he takes and then, when he's done, which way up he can chose."<br>"And the time spent negotiating with Hades and Persephone I take it," Herakles guessed.  
>"Not really, that'll be a rather simple affair since they know he's coming," Hera said. "Don't look so surprised, Hades has known all the time that Dionysos would be coming down for his mother. In his world it has already happened. More or less. I don't really understand how they function these time-space clusters, that's part of the physics Athena is working with and which nobody else really grasps. Now, come on, let's have dinner while we wait. At least I'm starving after having conjured up so much magic."<p>

As they started descending the rock, Hebe asked:  
>"But Persephone, she goes down the more or less the exact moment every year and returns on the same moment as well. The spring and autumn equinoxes. And she claims she spends half a year down under all the time as well. How come if time is different down there?"<br>"Don't ask me!" her mother replied with a shrug. "Ask Athena! But I guess it has to do with the way Persephone travels. It's always the same. And that deal we made back when she started commuting, what was it, 500 years ago, it affects as well, because our divine oath sealed the time-space around her while she travels between the realms. Her deal is fixed in time and in space and so is her stay duration. Everything to make it as fair as possible.!

"Why?" Hebe asked. "How does sealing the time-space make it fairer?"  
>"Because if someone began to tamper with the time-space, having Persephone travelling another way for instance or changing her stay duration either down under or up here, they would be breaking the oath."<br>"I don't get a thing," Herakles had to admit. "How can sealing an oath affect the physics. Even if it's a divine oath?"  
>"Honestly neither I understand that," Hera grinned back. "Other than the fact that all parties seem to be pleased with the deal. And have been for such a long time. That's kind of unique when it comes to Olympians."<p>

At the very same instance Herakles felt it. A sensation like a slithering, prickling chill travelling down his spine. A well-known experience for a man who had possessed that kind of awareness all his life. The feeling of danger approaching rapidly. Behind him and to the left. Instinctively he swirled around, his hand already in the inner pocket of his cloak, grabbing for the weapon he had tucked there - just in case, or perhaps based on some random precognition. Herakles was a far cry from Apollo when it came to sensing and interpreting the possible future strings, but sometimes he could get something like a hunch. These were sensations he hardly understood when they happened. In spite of that he had learned to rely on those hunches because they proved to be right. 'Gut feelings' the mortals called it, considering it completely random, and that was probably because it was such a random trait.

When Herakles now faced that imminent danger, he experienced one of those rare moments of 'time-slowing-down'. That was something Ares had taught him could happen to immortals on rare occasions when the adrenaline rushed through the veins. During what might have been milliseconds Herakles heard his brother's voice in his brain: "_These little darlings go right through the front door and into the headquarter, doing quick and fatal damage and the enemy is down in a few moments_." At the same time he saw this big screaming monster coming towards them through the air at full speed, screaming and swinging its huge adamantine blade as it approached. The being was terrible to behold, almost twice as tall as Herakles himself and with grotesque shapes and a quite a bit too large head dominated by wide gap with huge, menacing fangs bared against the Olympians. And it was no doubt who it was after.

"Hera, down!" Herakles bellowed and grabbed the Queen of Olympos by her right arm and pulled her into relatively safety more or less behind him in the very moment the screaming beast raised that ugly, jagged adamantine sword, ready to cut Hera in half. At the same time as the beast cut down the blade upon nothing, Heracles let go of the Death Star and spun it right into the gap of the attacker, realizing that his training sessions had paid off after all. His aim was perfect! When the tiny but very lethal weapon cut through the beast's throat from the inside, the scream turned into a gurgling sound as dark red blood, a bit more purple than the blood of mortal humans, fountained all over the place, splashing upon Heracles and Hera. Hebe, who had been some two feet ahead, swirled around with a gasp, her own dagger at the ready. But before she could even grasp the situation, the attacker crashed down on the ground a few feet below them, Herakles diving after it, ready to continue the fight with bare hands if needed, since he had been unarmed save for the Death Star.

But there was no need; the attacker was as dead as a trampled fly. The Death Star had severed its throat and exited on the other side, cutting off the spinal cord as well, and Herakles picked the little weapon up with a pleased grin. Now the fallen beast lay spread-eagled on the rocks, all that purple blood floating out and mixing with the falling rain. For good measure thought Herakles picked up the beast's own sword and beheaded it as well. Then he dried off the weapon on his already stained tunic and tucked it under his arm. He would bring it back to Olympos, according to the Olympian policy of gathering as much Adamantine as possible in the pantheon's storage and thus minimizing the risk posed against themselves and other allied immortals.

O0O0O

"Who is this creep?" Hebe asked and poked at the fallen monster with the tip of her shoe. They were all standing around the dead beast, looking at it. It had ropy muscles covering legs and arms and the skin was grayish and kind of shiny. The severed head, which had rolled away a bit, resembled more that of a hairless chimp than a human. Thus Herakles had recognized this kind of humanoid as soon as he had closer up look. A Giant. And probably a pure blooded one as well. Those was a rare sight these days.  
>"Have no clue, save for that it was coming for Hera," Herakles replied and nodded at the queen who was just finishing willing away the last blood stains from her orange tunic, a revolted look upon her face over the ickyness. "You're familiar with this one?"<br>"You bet I am, Herakles!" the queen replied. "Porphyrion. Half-brother of that bastard Enkelados who Hebe's capturer wanted us to release. If you hadn't told me what had happened back then, about the Chthonian, I'd thought this one to be the mastermind behind these deeds. Not that he's smart enough really, but he sure is full enough of hatred."

This time Herakles heard the echo of Athena's voice in his head: "_One of the brothers got away. The most dangerous one, namely Porphyrion. He's still out there, hiding_." Now he wasn't hiding anymore though. Well perhaps for Hades, but that wasn't Herakles' problem.

"Make that 'was', mother. He's dead as a mummy now, fortunately." Hebe smiled with relief as she took her lover's hand and Hera glanced at her daughter before facing Herakles again.  
>"Honestly, Herakles, thank you for saving my ass right here and now. That adamantine blade could have injured me severely if you hadn't been so swift in mind and in action. You are admirable, and whatever I might begrudgingly have said about your status as an Olympian, forget that now!"<br>"As you said yourself, Hera, there's no bad blood between us anymore," Herakles replied with a smile.  
>"Actually," Hera replied, "there's some of that purple liquid left on you, young man." She hinted vaguely at Herakles stained tunic and he grinned back, failing to find his own one-liner to hit back with.<p>

And then to Hebe's delight her mother and her beloved shook hand for real in the pouring rain, they sure had reconciled, those two people she cared for and loved the most didn't detest each other anymore. Now, finally Hebe knew that the last obstacle on her way to true happiness was removed. To consider that it had taken a Giant brute to achieve it felt almost ironic.

O0O0O

A few hours later Hebe and Herakles met up with Athena, Ares and Aphrodite at Athena's place, comparing notes of the successful plot of making Hera and Zeus accepting the unexpected coupling of Herakles and Hebe. The most eager to know was Ares, who had missed all the action, just because he had to catch up with some other action, far off in Egypt. Now the ever hungry god of war was enjoying a large ham sandwich and heated wine while he got to hear the whole story from the meeting at Zeus' to Dionysos' descent down under and Herakles' killing of the Giant which had appeared out of nowhere and attacked Hera.

"So you got Porphyrion, bro'?" Athena shook her head with amusement, while looking at the younger god.  
>"Yeah, used one of Ares' little Death Star thingies." Heracles grinned back. "Did just as you told, Aru, let the freak eat it!"<br>"Eat it?" Athena wrinkled her brow. For once she didn't understand. But Ares did and he smirked at his brother before Herakles explained how he had finished the giant off.  
>"Impressive," Athena responded. "And about time someone dealt with that beast as well. It was a bit eerie having it running around out there not knowing what it was up to, where it might strike next. But why was it coming for Hera?"<br>"Who knows," Herakles shrugged. "At least I haven't been able to figure out how these thugs thinks. If they do think at all."

"They probably don't," Aphrodite shrugged and drank some of Ares' wine. "Just dicks and no brains."  
>"Are you familiar with their dicks?" Hebe raised a brow and Ares chuckled.<br>"No, I didn't mean like that," the Goddess of Love said and made a face, as if the thought felt repulsive even to her. Which it most definitely did.  
>"I can think of a reason it went after mother," Ares said and retrieved his cup of wine. "The common Giant notion is that the world belongs to them. They call themselves children of Gaia. Gaianes. Which has become Giants in our mouths. And to 'take their rightful place' in this world they want to get rid of all other humanoid races. Primarily the humans. Thus they have declared humanity and its immortals their enemies. So Porphyrion, with a desire to prove himself, went after us Olympians - and not just any Olympian, but one of the most powerful ones - our Queen Hera."<p>

"Suicidal," Aphrodite huffed.  
>"Probably." Ares shrugged and wolfed up the last of his sandwich. "Hadn't Herc got him mother would've dealt with him nonetheless. Not to belittle your deed, Herc, if you hadn't been there and acted so fast, mother or Hebe might've become injured in the process, since mother was occupied with closing down that magic portal and not as alert for an incoming threat. Now Herc derived the beast of its element of surprise fast and it didn't even get a chance to go near Hera."<br>"You're probably right, Ares," Athena said. "Although the greatest victory was not a fallen Giant in this case, but a final end of the supposed acrimony between Hera and Herc. Now, let me hear more about this quest of Dion!"

O0O0O

It had taken Dionysos about a day, subjective time, to bring his mother Semele up from the Hades, and then he had handed her over to Hera who in turn introduced her to Zeus.  
>"It felt really awkward to do such a thing," Dionysos said later the same day as he, Ariadne, Herakles and Hebe were leaving the Palace of Zeus after having enjoyed the customary dinner.<br>"What, honey?" Ariadne asked, fingering her beloved's chiton, smoothing it a bit.  
>"Handing over dear mama, even before getting a chance to really get to know her, to get into my mind who she really is. She felt so tiny - so fragile. I can't believe she's the one who once gave me life. There were no feelings of offspring love towards her - it felt more like I... wanted to take care of her. To caress her and support her. She felt more like a little sister to be true."<p>

"That will change when she becomes deificated," Hebe assured. "Then she'll be stronger and ready to fit in, to assume her real place in the world. She was meant to become a goddess in any case. "  
>"You think she'll adjust?" Dion asked and Hebe nodded her head.<br>"I do. And on a completely different note, Aphrie is flirting with Ares again."  
>"Oh dear!" Dion rolled his eyes. "Here we go again!"<br>"Tell!" Ariadne pleaded, genuinely curious for the juicy details she could feel was coming.  
>"A re-run of an old favourite," Hebe explained, and then she told Ariadne the short version of the endlessly repeating AresAphrodite saga. Dionysos' wife bucked her head and made a wordless sound of scorn.  
>"What'd he say about it then?" she then asked and as Hebe turned to look, she saw Hephaestos lounging together with Poseidon, Pan and Hermes a bit away, the latter telling something the other men obviously found truly funny because their laughter was booming trough the room.<p>

"He's pretty used to it," Hebe replied with a shrug. "Doesn't mean he consents, only that he doesn't tear up Earth and the Underworld about it. Anymore that is. He usually find out something clever instead." Then she told about how Hephaestos had trapped Ares and Aphrodite in a magic net some 50 years ago. A story neither Ariadne nor Herakles had heard earlier.  
>"This place - Olympos - never stops surprising me!" Ariadne giggled and once more glanced at the blacksmith god who was now telling a joke on his own.<br>"I know," Hebe smiled back, "I could say the same. And yet I've lived here my whole life."

Next, she heard somebody call out her name, a neglected friend. Ganymedes.  
>"Go ahead! I'll catch up later," Hebe said and nodded her head towards the bartender. Herakles just grinned. He found Ganymedes a bit peculiar, but he respected Hebe's choice of friends. Hebe blew him a kiss, turned and ran off to the bar which Gan was closing up since nobody seemed interested in staying around and drinking this evening.<p>

"I've heard," the god said right after their hellos.  
>"About... us?" Hebe asked and Gan nodded his head.<br>"Yeah. And Zeus and Hera do not know - yet?"  
>"Well..."<br>"You have to tell 'em you know. Guys - can't keep such a secret. Not here. On Olympos. Even I know these days." Ganymedes shrugged and looked so very sad when he said that. Something which made Hebe feeling ashamed that she had left her old time friend out of the loop. But it had all happened so fast. She was almost on the brink of spilling all the beans right there and then. However she remembered that they had promised Athena to keep their mouths shut and Hebe just leaned her elbows on the empty bar counter and stared Ganymedes right into his resin coloured eyes.

"Gan!" she said. "You're a smart lad. Sure, you can definitely understand that this is a really delicate matter. Herakles and I, we have to tread oh so careful. One misstep and we'll both be facing a hard time. We just can't go around flashing it, even though that's exactly what we both really want to do."  
>"Hebe, the grapevine is already full of it. Surely both Zeus and Hera know about it right now. So why not come out in the open."<br>"Gan, I'm sorry, I can't really talk about it right now," she sighed and painted a flower with her finger on the marble desk.  
>"Well suit yourself then, I was only trying to help," Ganymedes suddenly snapped, spun around and closed the doors to the liquors. Then, without further words he turned and walked away.<p>

Hebe was left nonplussed. She had tried to comfort, to reconcile, but she hadn't made anything better. Rather the contrary. Ganymedes was pouting now. It was a slight comfort that she knew it wasn't going to last. Gan was an up-and-down kind of man; he didn't hold grudges for long. And he must've been in a bad mood because of something else tonight. All the same it felt a bit like there were grains in the cup, she thought as she slid down from the high chair. Anyhow she decided to let the matter rest and with her head held high she left the large hall and started down the stairs with catching up with Herakles and the others again on her mind. But once more someone called her name. She was the popular girl tonight, it seemed. Hebe turned around, all perplexed.

"Zeus?"  
>"Yes, I hope you can spare a second of your busy life," her step father grinned and Hebe stopped.<br>"Sure... what is...?"  
>"It's about a long overdue talk. One you and I should have had decades ago."<br>"It's about Herakles, right?" Hebe asked before she really had registered the word 'decades' and realized that it was not what Zeus meant at all. Yet he just smiled:  
>"Actually it was Herakles who made me realize I had to straighten things out with you. We're family after all, you and I. We're living in the same pantheon and yet we're hardly on speaking terms. And I admit it's mostly my fault. Because I haven't taken the time to really talk with you, Hebe. I adopted you when you came along, that's true, but I let Hera do all the job and take all responsibility with bringing you up while I busied myself with being King of the Gods. I know I should have been there more for you as you grew up and I should have told you that I care for you deeply, dear. Unfortunately I never did. I let those moments pass me by, and the only thing you learned was that I was the grumpy head of the household who expressed no interest in you at all. Which is really so untrue. And I apologize for all those missed opportunities, Hebe."<p>

"It's okay..." what all Hebe could think of saying, because for once in her life she was lost for words. She hadn't expected something like this from Zeus. Not at all. Neither had she expected him to put his hands on her shoulders like he did now as he went on:  
>"Don't take the easy way out now, Hebe! Tell me that you're mad at me or something!"<br>"But it is okay - I mean really. I never expected you to care. I'm after all - not your kid."  
>"That doesn't matter, lass! I adopted you, I accepted you. I only neglected to tell you that I care."<br>"And you're telling me now?"  
>"I said it was overdue. In any case I still believe it's necessary to say this! Last winter - when we almost lost you, Hebe, I felt so ashamed of myself for having neglected you through all those years. Not letting you know I cared. I felt that if worse came to worse and you had been lost to us, I would be consumed with guilt. I felt I had spent more than half a century failing you and I had no idea about how to make up for it. When the others came back with you more or less unharmed I was once again paralyzed from action. So I kept pushing this conversation forward once again, until Herakles almost lost his temper with me."<p>

"He did?" Hebe couldn't help giggling at these words, and she got all warm inside thinking about her beloved telling his father off.  
>"Yes he did. And I respect him deeply for that. A man shall always stand up for his woman. Something I also have had a hard time living up to. As a matter of fact, I have a lot to catch up on. We've been inviting a lot of new people here this last handful of years. Herakles, Ariadne, now this priestess of Hera - Thyone. Who so much reminds me of someone I used to know once. Which I guess is another story. I haven't really had the ability to prioritize between all my duties, and I feel ashamed for that. However one has to start somewhere and I felt it naturally to start with you, Hebe!"<br>"Zeus, I'm..." against her will Hebe felt a salty burn in the back of her eye lobes and she blinked to make it go away. Which it didn't do. Against her will she was touched by her stepfather's words.

"Do give me a chance to show that I care!" Zeus pleaded with her. "That I - I love you as if you had been a daughter of mine. It doesn't matter that Hera was... All that matter is that you light up this place with your whole being. You're a happy go lucky, kind, emphatic and thoughtful lady, my dear. And I'm so sorry for not saying these things to you earlier."  
>"You really do - care?"<br>"Yes, I do, Sweetheart - and no matter what you think, I'm so happy for you and Herakles."  
>"Perhaps I was the one to misjudge you as well, Zeus," Hebe said while that tear slipped away down her cheek. "I should have given you a chance instead of just running away. I realize that I've spent my whole life avoiding you. I remember Athena trying to tell me that already back in my teens and Hephaestos as well. But I didn't want to listen to them. I was... I actually feared you."<p>

"Can we start all over then, Hebe dearest?"  
>"Yes we can," Hebe replied and dried off that tear. She noted then that Zeus was teary eyed by emotions as well, and for the first time in her life she let her step father give her a hug for real. He had been right, this was indeed long overdue.<p> 


	25. On the funny side of the street

**On the funny side of the street**

"So how did you get up Cerberos from the underworld, if you didn't even know how to get down there yourself?" Hebe asked.  
>"Easy enough, I never brought him up," Herakles replied and leaned back in the large sofa while looking at the little gathering in the living room. In the sofa opposite of him and his Hebe sat the goddesses Palaistra and Dicaeosyne. Palaistra had originally come over to hear about the result of the meeting with Hera. When Hebe had told what transpired down in Argos, Palaistra too wanted to know the secret behind the 'Cerbereus Labour'. And Dicaeosyne had just tagged along in lack of anything else to do on a day like this when the rain even mingled with snow.<p>

"But... I thought..." Hebe began. "And so did that king Eurystheus, and all those other people who claim to have seen the hellhound with their own eyes. They say they saw you enter the Royal Castle of Mycenae with Cerberos in a leach, and that the beast was terrible to behold with its three heads with glowing eyes and razor-sharp fangs."  
>"Hebe, I could never have brought Cerberos out of the Hades realm," Heracles began. "The being - which isn't really a canine, or even an animal to be true, wouldn't survive a trip through the dimensions. No, my last labour was nothing really but smoke and mirrors, and therefore one of the easiest. At the same time it was truly one of the hardest."<p>

"Now I don't understand this really, or do I?" Palaistra said and shook her head in confusion. "You mean it was just stage magic you performed back there?"  
>"Sort of. Although I was using real magic. Illusionism. I conjured up a picture of the beast from Hades. A picture imposed on thin air. I know that's never been a big deal for you, my ladies, you learn it as kids. But when I did it, I had just been taught the magic by Athena and then I learned where to locate the beast from Persephone. After that I practiced for months. When everyone thought I was venturing to the land down under I was actually hiding in a cave just north of Mycenae, practicing the my illusionism, working for days and nights to make a good and believable render of Cerberus. However not as big as the real thing, because that one is by far larger than the greatest hall of the Mycenaean castle. And in the end I was 'there' with the doggie and went down and presented it to the Mycenaean king, who became so scared that he jumped into a large barrel of wine."<br>"Yeah that's the best part," Palaistra laughed.

"Yes and perhaps it saved my butt too, because when everyone was occupied with Eurystheus making a fool out of himself, I could dismantle my illusion and sneak away. You know the barrel tipped over and there was wine flowing out on the floor and down the stairs, damaging valuable carpets, furniture and people's clothes. Then some jerks even took their chance to a free helping of the spilled out beverage. It became quite a commotion, so no one took notice of me or the fact that Cerberus just disappeared."  
>"Perhaps they thought you returned him to Hades," Hebe pondered.<br>"Yes, I've heard that part," Heracles replied. "As if anyone would venture down there twice!"

"Was there any other labour you faked?" Dicaeosyne asked.  
>"No, come on, Dica, now you're being unfair! That wasn't fake, was it?" Herakles turned to Auxesia's daughter. "I was asked to present the hell hound but nothing was said about in which form I should do it. After that Eurystheus let me off the hook. I'm quite sure he was tired of me embarrassing him all the time."<p>

"How about all the other labours then? You really went to the Hesperides to get one of their treasured apples?" Dicaeosyne persisted.  
>"Yeah, well Atlas got it for me in exchange for me helping him with his roof which was about to collapse. Besides, Atlas isn't such a dickhead as everybody says he is. He may sound grumpy and ill-tempered, but I think that comes with having been exiled for such a long time. And when he was finally let back into the immortal society, he found that a lot of people were giving him the bad eye. So who can blame him for choosing to more or less stay a reclusive? "<br>"He's my ancestor," Hebe huffed. "But that doesn't stop me from considering him a bitter old fart. For all I care he can stay back there in his castle."

"And on the way to Atlas - or was it on your way back - you zapped Antaios?" Palaistra wanted to know.  
>"Well, not really 'zapped' - I haven't been good at 'zapping' until for about a year ago. Before that... Actually, what I did was strangling Antaios to death."<br>"They said he was impossible to kill, you know that?" Palaistra went on.  
>"I only got to hear that after I'd done him in - lucky for me. However I was almost losing the battle when I remembered Athena telling me that Antaios was an expert on tapping the Earth-lines of Energy. So I figured I had to hinder his access to the Earth Energies. The only way to do that was to grab him, hold him high in the air and at the same time block my own channels for Earth Energy. THAT was harder than to barter me an apple, and if I ever get around writing my memoirs, I'd label that my labour eleven."<p>

"You really have to do that!" Hebe urged. "Now everyone and his dog are out there telling her or his version of those labours, and in the process they are becoming more and more exaggerated and further and further from what really happened. So if someone wants the truth you'll have to give it to then, honey."  
>"Hebe I'm no writer. No story teller!"<br>"I can ghost write for you! I've already done that with some of Ares' war reports since he too claims he's a man of deed rather than words."  
>"I'm prepared to agree there, guys!" Dicaeosyne tittered."You should see the things Ares writes! They are all incomprehensible, and the grammar is awful. If you do meet the challenge to interpret his handwriting you'll soon find that it's all about long lists of weaponry used and then a lot of very descriptive scenes about killing people. I mean, if you want to know how Ares and his posse invaded Sicily you don't care that much about how the entrails of an enemy looked when they poured out on the ground."<p>

"Gross!" Palaistra, "Is that's what he puts in his reports?"  
>"Yeah!" Hebe confirmed. "'Editing' is not really what I'm doing with them, it's rather like I'm rewriting them. I'm kind of used to it, so honey, if you ever find it hard to think about writing down your labours, just turn to me, I'll do it for you!"<br>"I'll keep that in mind." Herakles replied. "And don't worry, sweetie, I won't bother you with the colour of my diseased enemies' entrails."

"Thanks for small mercies," Hebe said. "By the way, wasn't it on the way to Atlas you put up those famous Pillars of Herakles."  
>"Yes, one pillar on each of the sound of Gibraltar. One on my way there and the other on the way back. High upon those black rocks."<br>"Why?" Palaistra asked.  
>"To tell the world I had been there. A bit of a bragging of the kind you don't have to do being a god. And now I'll probably outlive them anyway, and not the other way around as I thought then. Thus it feels more a bit nutty to have them standing over there. Pillars of Herakles on the other side of the world, quite conceited."<br>"I couldn't care less," Hebe replied. "As long as I have another pillar of Herakles within a bit more convenient reach," she added, watching her beloved blush gently.

At the same time there was a nymph at the doorstep.  
>"Visitor," the petite blond said. "Your brother the great Dionysos."<br>"Let him in!" Herakles smiled and soon the god of wine joined the other four and sat down next to Palaistra in the sofa. He looked frozen in spite of a thick woolen tunic but still in a good mode. Then again, Dionysos was always in a good mode.  
>"I was actually looking for my wife," he said, "and I thought she might be around here."<br>"I believe she went with Semele and Hera, to find out if Hera could convince Zeus to deificate the former." Hebe said and cuddled tighter to her beloved. "And perhaps she could act as some kind of moral support; after all she underwent the process too."  
>"It's Thyone these days." Dion said and grabbed a cookie from the plate. "Don't ask me why, but that's the name my mother has chosen."<p>

"Thyone, hmmm." Heracles mused. "Sounds cool! My fiancée had promised me to ghost write my memoirs."  
>"Wow!" the God of Wine beamed as he turned to his brother. "I've always wanted someone to do that for me too, after all I've also been trough quite a lot. But since I'm a lousy story teller everyone just think they are a drunken man's bragging. So Hebe would you consider..."<br>"Hey wait! I promised Herc, but I don't know if I can do more than that." Hebe almost pushed the thought away physically. She could not imagine sitting inside for the next ten years or so writing memoirs first for her husband-to-be and then for Dion. Not to mention that if she started something like that there would probably be more gods and goddesses knocking on her door asking the same favour.

But Dion didn't seem to mind.  
>"That's cool, Hebe, I understand." he smiled instead, before turning to Herc: "While we're at the subject, I was wondering about that Amazon story. How you got hold on queen Hippolytia's fancy girdle. After all that one was said to be one of a kind! And I wouldn't think that exceptional Amazon... unless you of course..."<br>"Actually..." Herakles started and blushed.  
>"That's not very tactful of you, Dion!" Palaistra huffed at her uncle. "In case you haven't noticed, Hebe is sitting right there!"<br>"Oh, don't worry!" Hebe shook her head. "I can handle that story too. It's not like I'm unfamiliar with the fact that Herc has a past. He even has offspring."  
>"Let's just say that - Hippolytia's labour became harder than mine," Herakles grinned. "She got twins."<p>

Hearing that, they all started to laugh. While drying off her tears Hebe suddenly made out another familiar voice - her mother. Hera - here! With surprise marking her face she turned around, letting go of Herakles slightly.  
>"It seems like we've ended up on the funny side of the street," the Queen of Heaven said where she stood together with Ariadne at the doorstep. The poor nymph was standing a bit behind, blushing and trying to sort out conflicting protocols. On one hand she had not introduced her master's latest guest, who had arrived way too fast for her; on the other hand you did not refuse Queen Hera no matter what.<p>

But luckily for the nymph none of the gods seemed to care. Dicaeosyne regarded the arriving duo and informed them:  
>"We're getting to hear 'The labours of Herakles - the true story'".<br>"The hero tells with his own words." Palaistra filled in.  
>"Or 'The Labours of Hippolytia'," Dion smirked.<br>"Ah hero - phoo!" Hera exclaimed, but there was laughter in her eyes. "So why did my son-in-law-to-be do that was so funny?"  
>"Knocking up the Amazon queen, to whore himself some bling-bling," Dionysos laughed.<br>"I get you for that!" Herakles called out and hit him mockingly over the back of his head.

"Dion, most means that leads to a successful end are good means. Or at least worth trying." Hera said and sat down in an empty chair. "Besides I always wondered how you managed to catch Artemis' magnificent hind from Cerynitia. And without upsetting your dear half-sister too."  
>"That was another deal I cut. I searched out Artemis and asked if I could rent the animal for a day or two. She was reluctant first of course, fearing that I would kill it to please Eurystheus, but I promised her I would return the animal unharmed. And in return she got a quiver of my magic arrows. Those which never misses their targets."<p>

"What would she do with those?" Dicaeosyne giggled. "Artemis seldom misses a target even without magic arrows."  
>"I think she traded them off in turn." Palaistra said. "Or at least some of them, because I heard that the Centaur Peverin had some of those in possession."<br>"Peverin heh!" Herakles mocked. "He sure could use a couple, he can't hit an ox standing next to him. Nevertheless I'm neglecting my duties, what can I help you two ladies with?" he nodded to Hera and Ariadne.

"We mostly came to tell Dion that Zeus has clarifyed his plan for deificating Thyone now. She'll be under for about ninety days and then you'll have your mother back for real, dear," Hera told the god of wine. And Ariadne, who had snuggled up next to her husband said:  
>"He doesn't know anything yet?"<br>"Who?" Palaistra asked.  
>"Zeus. He thinks she's just a very special priestess of Hera whom he's deificating to do her a favour. "<br>"Oh my!" Dicaeosyne hid her face in her hands. "Grandpa is gonna flip when he learns that she's his ex-lover."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Three months later, when Zeus got to learn the truth, he didn't exactly flip. No matter that he was presented with the truth about Semele and that Hera had tried to sneak behind his back with the marriage plans for Hebe and Herakles while HE in turn was setting HER up with exactly the same thing. When all the intrigues were laid down like a deck of cards on the table it hadn't take Zeus that long to see the funny angle of the situation. he had actually laughed quite a bit and in the end he had made Hera doing the same. After that he had soon figured out that the main plot maker in the game was none other than Athena. Athena who had conveniently made herself absent, running off towards some other heroes down south.

When Ariadne told Hebe and Herakles about the royal couple's reaction, Hebe couldn't help smiling. Athena had got what he wanted. She usually set plots in spin to help people she held dear - or to show off. And this time she got to kill those two birds with one stone.  
>"So which labour have you gotten to?" Ariadne asked, as she sat opposite of Hebe and Herakles in the latter's large living room overlooking a garden where the first signs of spring were beginning to show in form of early coltsfoots and hyacinths.<p>

"The boar of Erymanthia," Herakles said. "Now that was a straightforward labour. Since I had to return the lovely hind to Artemis, Eurystheus wanted me to capture a beast he could actually enjoy the killing of. The jerk actually told me to bring the piglet alive so he could use it to perform a sacrifice to - whoever it was again - Apollo I think..."  
>"Who doesn't even like pork," Hebe cut in.<br>"...but when I returned to Mychenae with the game Eurystheus apparently chickened out and didn't have the guts to cut up that animal himself. At least he was nowhere to be found when I got home and in the end I had to take care of the boar myself. Later I heard that Eurystheus had hid in the basement all the time."  
>"What did you do with the boar?" Ariadne asked.<br>"I ate it. Me and some friends, we had a barbeque which is still being talked about I believe."

"He hid in the basement?" Ariadne giggled. "What a wimp!"  
>"The guy sure was." Hebe agreed, "Let me read some here for you!" And then Hebe out loud about when Eurystheus had ordered Herakles to clean the stables of Augeas. The reason for that duty wasn't really that the stables were dirty and filthy. Instead Eurystheus had the idea that this kind of menial work would be humiliating enough for Herakles to have him lose some of that Hero status. Eurystheus was sick and tired of hearing all the people praising the son of Zeus all the time so he wanted to dampen that by giving Herakles an unworthy and embarrassing task.<p>

And when it turned out that Herakles - together with Athena in another set-up mode - created a clever irrigation system to clear out the stables with, Eurystheus had nearly had a fit.

When Hebe was done Ariadne was laughing out loud.  
>"Hera was right," she said.<br>"What?" Herakles and Hebe choired.  
>"This really is the funny side of the street. I sure must come here more often."<p>

*** THE END***


End file.
